noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɑːd.vɑːk/
US:/ˈɑɹd.vɑɹk/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AA1 R D V AA2 R K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata and somewhat resembling a pig. Common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The aardvark burrows in the ground and feeds mostly on termites, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: African anteater, antbear, ant bear, anteater, earth pig
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
nocturnal burrowing mammal of the grasslands of Africa that feeds on termites; sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
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.
Across languages
Translations
84 source translations are retained for this English entry.
