a nocturnal mammal, Orycteropus afer, the sole member of its family (Orycteropodidae) and order (Tubulidentata). It inhabits the grasslands of Africa, has a long snout, and feeds on termites
Also called: ant bear
Word origin
C19: from obsolete Afrikaans, from aarde earth + varken pig
aardvark in American English
(ˈɑrdˌvɑrk)
noun
a large, burrowing, nocturnal S African mammal (Orycteropus afer, order Tubulidentata) that feeds on ants and termites: it is squat and heavy with a long, sticky tongue and a long head ending in a round, piglike snout