Aardvark
WordNet
noun
(1) Nocturnal burrowing mammal of the grasslands of Africa that feeds on termites; sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata
WiktionaryText
Etymology
from , and ; hence "earth-pig". 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. The word was loaned from in the late 18th century.
Noun
- The mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
- The aardvark burrows in the ground and feeds mostly on termites, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.
- A silly or credulous person who is prone to mistakes or blunders.
- I walked into the wrong bathroom like a total aardvark.