aardwolf

aard·wolf

[ahrd-woolf]
noun, plural aard·wolves.
a striped, hyenalike mammal, Proteles cristatus, of southern and eastern Africa, that feeds chiefly on insects.

Origin:
1825–35; < Afrikaans erdwolf < Dutch aardwolf, equivalent to aarde earth + wolf wolf

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aardwolf (ˈɑːdˌwʊlf) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -wolves
a nocturnal mammal, Proteles cristatus, that inhabits the plains of southern Africa and feeds on termites and insect larvae: family Hyaenidae (hyenas), order Carnivora (carnivores)
 
[C19: from Afrikaans, from aarde earth + wolf wolf]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Aardwolf is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

aardwolf

insectivorous carnivore that resembles a small striped hyena. The shy, mainly nocturnal aardwolf lives on the arid plains of Africa. There are two geographically separate populations, one centred in South Africa and the other in East Africa.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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