Definition of AARDVARK

aardvark

Meanings

Plural: aardvarks

Noun

  • nocturnal burrowing mammal of the grasslands of Africa that feeds on termites; sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata
  • The nocturnal, insectivorous primarily eating ants and termites, burrowing, mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Origin / 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.

Synonyms

African anteater, ant bear, antbear, anteater, earth pig, Orycteropus afer

Scrabble Score: 16

aardvark is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
aardvark is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
aardvark is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

aardvark is a valid Words With Friends word