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Glite Dictionary
grey jackal

grey jackal

8.5
A small wild dog that lives in the deserts of Northern Africa
  • noun
  • /ɡreɪ ˈdʒækəl/
  • UK
translation icon : chacal gris
  • The grey jackal is well adapted to the arid landscapes of Northern Africa.

Examples

  • Unlike the golden jackal, the grey jackal tends to live in more desert-like habitats.

  • Many grey jackals roam the Sahara Desert.

  • Researchers observed a pack of grey jackals hunting in the early morning.

  • The grey jackal is known for its adaptability.

  • Researchers observed a pack of grey jackals hunting in the early morning.

  • The grey jackal is well adapted to the arid landscapes of Northern Africa.

  • Unlike the golden jackal, the grey jackal tends to live in more desert-like habitats.

Synonyms

Egyptian jackal
vsgrey jackal
9.9

A wild animal like a small dog from northern African deserts that hunts at night

identifies the exact species rather than the general canid description

Surface Forms

grey jackal singular
grey jackals plural
gray jackals plural
gray jackal singular

Morphology

gray + jackal

The noun phrase is directly compositional: 'grey' names a color and 'jackal' names the animal, so a learner who knows both words will infer it denotes a jackal that is grey (or a grey-colored jackal species). Adjective + noun naming of animals is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, making the meaning immediately derivable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Grey jackal is a name made from the color grey and the animal jackal, giving the image of a pale wild dog living in dry land. So, the name today means 'a jackal species from the deserts of Northern Africa'.