Definition

A large, burrowing mammal from southern Africa that has a long snout, big ears, and strong claws. It mainly eats ants and termites.

Example

The aardvark dug deep into the ground to find termites.

Conversation

Have you ever seen an aardvark in a zoo?

No, I haven't! What do they look like?

They're really unique with their long snouts and big ears.

That sounds interesting! I would love to see one.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

The word 'aardvark' comes from the Afrikaans language, where 'aard' means 'earth' and 'vark' means 'pig'. The term literally translates to 'earth pig', referring to the animal's burrowing habits and pig-like appearance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a creature that looks like a pig ('vark') and lives in the earth ('aard') — that's how you can remember that an aardvark is an 'earth pig'.

Visually Confused Words