aardvark
- noun
- /ˈɑrdˌvɑrk/
- South African
- The aardvark is known for its long snout and burrowing habits.
- aardvark eats ants
We have everything from aardvarks and astrophysics to zebras and zoology.
- We have everything from aardvarks and astrophysics to zebras and zoology.
- You have a six pack and you fucking, you know, you hatchet up a couple of damn aardvarks or something.
Examples
-
A spotted hyena typically spends its first few weeks of life in an abandoned aardvark burrow.
Academic text (1998) -
This is a picture of an aardvark.
-
I expect a complete report tomorrow morning on the life of the aardvark.
-
An aardvark feeds primarily on termites, using its strong claws to dig them up.
-
As a nocturnal mammal, the aardvark is mainly active at night while searching for food.
Synonyms
An animal active at night in African grasslands that lives in burrows and eats termites
A mammal with a long snout and strong claws that digs burrows and eats termites at night
A mammal in Africa that is active at night and digs burrows to eat termites
Surface Forms
Etymology
Aardvark comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch parts aard ('earth') and vark ('pig'), because people thought the animal looked like a pig that digs in the ground. So the name fits this African, burrowing animal that uses its long snout and tongue to eat termites.