aardvark
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Alternative spellings
[edit] Etymology
Afrikaans from aarde (“‘earth’”), and vark (“‘pig’”); hence "earth-pig". 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. The word was loaned from Afrikaans in the late 18th century.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
aardvark (plural aardvarks)
- (zoology) The mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
- The aardvark burrows in the ground and feeds mostly on termites, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.
- (slang, particularly in the southeast US) A silly or credulous person who is prone to mistakes or blunders.
- I walked into the wrong bathroom like a total aardvark.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
mammal
[edit] Afrikaans
[edit] Etymology
From Dutch aarde 'earth, soil' + varken 'pig'.
[edit] Noun
aardvark
[edit] Usage notes
This word is obsolete; the extant form is erdvark.

