# jackal

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈd͡ʒækəl/ · frequency rank #34,133

## Definitions
1. Any of certain wild canids of the genera Lupulella and Canis, native to the tropical Old World and smaller than a wolf.
2. A person who performs menial or routine tasks; a dogsbody.
3. A person who behaves in an opportunistic way; especially a base collaborator.
4. A jack (the playing card).
5. A player who steals the ball at the tackle.

## Etymology
From French chacal, chacale, checale, schakal, ciacale, from Turkish çakal, from Persian شغال (šaġâl), borrowed from Sanskrit शृगाल (śṛgāla, “jackal”).

## Easily confused with
- **Jamal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jamal)
- **jacks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jacks)
- **Jacky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jacky)
- **jacket** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jacket)
- **Jackie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jackie)
- **jacked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jacked)
- **jackass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jackass)
- **jackman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jackal-vs-jackman)
- **jack** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jack-vs-jackal)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ajckal`, `jacakl`, `jacckal`, `jackall`, `jackkal`, `jackla`, `jakcal`, `jcakal`, `jjackal`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/jackal