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Aardvark

//ˈɑːd.vɑːk// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing, 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."

  2. 2
    nocturnal burrowing mammal of the grasslands of Africa that feeds on termites; sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata wordnet

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.

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