English

Two aardvarks

Wikispecies

Alternative forms

• aard-vark, erdvark

Noun

aardvark ‎(plural aardvarks)

1. The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing, mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa. [First attested in the late 18^th c.]

   The aardvark burrows in the ground and feeds mostly on termites, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.

2. (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.

Synonyms

• (mammal): African anteater, antbear, ant bear or ant-bear, anteater, earth pig

Translations

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch aardvarken, from aarde ‎(“earth, soil”) +‎ varken ‎(“pig”).

Noun

aardvark ‎(plural aardvarke)

1. Obsolete form of erdvark.

Portuguese

Noun

aardvark m (plural aardvarks)

1. aardvark (mammal)

Synonyms

• oricterope, porco-da-terra, jimbo, porco-formigueiro, timba, timbo