Plural of aardvark; large burrowing mammals from Africa with long snouts and sticky tongues that eat ants and termites.
From Afrikaans 'aardvark,' combining 'aard' (earth) and 'vark' (pig), literally 'earth pig.' The Dutch settlers of South Africa named the animal for its pig-like appearance and burrowing habits. The word entered English in the 18th century as Europeans encountered the animal.
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