aardvark

The story

1. Middle Dutch · derived fromvarken
2. Middle Dutch · derived fromaerde
3. Afrikaans · borrowed fromaardvark
4. English todayaardvark

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.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from late 18ᵗʰ c. The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing mammal Orycteropus afer, of the order Tubulidentata and somewhat resembling a pig. Common in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa.