aardvark
UK[ˈɑːd.vɑːk]US[ˈɑːrd.vɑːrk]
n
a large african mammal with a long snout and long ears that feeds on ants and termites
Etymology
the word 'aardvark' entered english in the late 18th century from south african dutch (afrikaans), where it is a compound of 'aarde' (earth) and 'vark' (pig), literally meaning 'earth-pig'. this name was given by dutch settlers in southern africa, describing the animal's pig-like appearance and its habit of burrowing. the dutch terms themselves have germanic origins: 'aarde' is cognate with english 'earth', and 'vark' is related to english 'farrow' (a litter of pigs). the word is a direct loan describing the animal, and its spelling was anglicized while preserving the original descriptive compound meaning.
Analysis
this is a simplex word borrowed from afrikaans/dutch. it is not productively formed from separable english morphemes.
Examples
the aardvark uses its powerful claws to dig into termite mounds.
we saw an aardvark foraging at night during our safari.
the aardvark's long, sticky tongue is perfectly adapted for catching insects.