aardvark

Definition

The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing, mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans aardvark (obsolete), erdvark, from aarde (“earth”, from Middle Dutch aerde) + vark (“pig”, from Middle Dutch varken). Early European colonists in South Africa noticed that the animal was similar to a pig, while aarde hints at the animal's habit of burrowing.

Example Sentences

• "The aardvark burrows in the ground and feeds mostly on termites, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue."
• "If ‘aardvark lover’ has that syntactic structure, then it determinately means “lover of aardvarks."