aardvark
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aardvark
- /ˈɑːd.vɑːk/ UK
- /ˈɑɹd.vɑɹk/ US
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Afrikaans aardvark (now rare), 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.
noun aardvarks · aard-vark · erdvark
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The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata and 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.
Similar: African anteater, antbear, ant bear, anteater, earth pig
Translations
Every language
noun mammal
| Español | cerdo hormiguero |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 땅돼지 ttangdwaeji |
| 日本語 | 土豚 tsuchibuta |
| 中文 | 土豚 tǔtún |
| Kiswahili | mhanga |
| Português | oricterope, porco-da-terra, jimbo, porco-formigueiro, timba, timbo |
| Français | oryctérope |
| Deutsch | Erdferkel |
| Italiano | oritteropo |
| Ελληνικά | μυρμηγκοφάγος myrmigkofágos |
| Română | porcul termitelor |
| Русский | трубкозу́б trubkozúb |
| Tiếng Việt | lợn đất |
| العربية | خِنْزِير اَلْأَرْض ḵinzīr al-ʔarḍ |
| עברית | שנבוב |
Talk about this word "aardvark." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/aardvark. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. aardvark. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/aardvark "aardvark." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/aardvark.Cite this
@misc{aardvark_2026,
title = {aardvark},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/aardvark},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
