Aardvark - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
An aardvark is a nocturnal mammal native to Africa, known for its long snout and sticky tongue used to eat ants and termites. It has a stout body and burrowing habits.
Definition:
A nocturnal African mammal with a long snout, feeding on ants and termites.
Synonyms:
antbear, earth pig, African anteater
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
predator, carnivore (contextual opposites)
Common Collocations:
nocturnal aardvark, aardvark burrow, aardvark habitat
Derivatives:
aardvarks (plural), aardvark-like (adjective)
Usage Tips:
Use "aardvark" to describe the animal; avoid confusing it with similar-looking creatures like armadillos or anteaters.
Common Phrases:
rare as an aardvark, aardvark’s appetite, digging like an aardvark
Etymology:
Derived from Afrikaans/Dutch "aarde" (earth) + "vark" (pig), meaning "earth pig."
Examples:
- 1. The aardvark dug a deep hole in search of ants.
- 2. We saw an aardvark at the zoo last weekend.
- 3. Aardvarks use their long tongues to catch insects.
- 4. The aardvark’s burrow provides shelter for other animals too.