aardwolf
Part of speech: noun
Morphological type: simple
Etymology: Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁er-der.
Proto-Germanic *erþō
Proto-West Germanic *erþu
Old Dutch ertha
Middle Dutch āerde
Dutch aarde
Afrikaans aarde
Proto-Indo-European *wl̥kʷós?
Proto-Indo-European *wĺ̥kʷos
Proto-Germanic *wulfaz
Proto-West Germanic *wulf
Old Dutch *wulf
Middle Dutch wolf
Dutch wolf
Afrikaans wolf
Afrikaans aardwolfbor.
Dutch aardwolfbor.
English aardwolf
Borrowed from South African Dutch aardwolf (whence Afrikaans aardwolf), from aard- (prefix meaning ‘earth’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁er- (“earth”), probably from the fact that the animal rests in burrows in the ground during the day) + wolf (“wolf”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wĺ̥kʷos (“wolf”)), influenced by English wolf (the second element of aardwolf is pronounced like that word, and one plural form is aardwolves; the Dutch plural form is aardwolven).
Inflected forms:
form: aardwolves
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: aardwolfs
pos: noun
tags: plural
rare
form: aard-wolf
pos: noun
tags: alternative
Senses:
gloss: A nocturnal, insectivorous mammal (Proteles cristatus), having yellowish fur with vertical black stripes, and a long mane down the midline of the neck and back; it is related to and resembles the hyena, and is native to eastern and southern Africa.
pos: noun
examples: [page 79] The Committee of Science and Correspondence, having taken into consideration the request of the Council, that they should prepare a Report upon the Animals most desirable to be introduced into this country for the purposes of utility or exhibition, beg leave to submit a List of such Animals arranged under the heads of the respective countries of which they are natives. […] [page 86] Cape of Good Hope. […] Aard Wolf (Proteles).
The size of the aard-wolf is about that of a full-grown fox, which it further resembles in its pointed muzzle; but it stands higher upon its legs, its ears are considerably larger and more naked, and its tail shorter and not so bushy. […] In its habits and manners the aard-wolf resembles the fox: like that animal it is nocturnal, and constructs a subterraneous burrow, at the bottom of which it lies concealed during the day-time and only ventures abroad on the approach of night to search for food and satisfy the other calls of nature.
There is a very pretty little hyæna to be found up in these localities, called by the natives "aard-wolf," and by the colonists "strand wolf;" it is about the size of a jackal, possesses a bright fawn-coloured coat, handsomely marked with black lines.
I have had the opportunity, however, of examining an example of the Aard Wolf (Proteles cristatus), an animal that is now seldom seen in menageries. So great is the uniformity of pattern amongst the terrestrial carnivores that Proteles may serve as an example of all.
Aardwolves scoop out small hollows in the sides of white-ant hills, but do not tear down the mounds in the same manner as Aardvarks. […] Newspaper controversy as to whether or not the Aardwolf habitually attacks sheep and lambs is something of a "hardy annual" in South Africa. […] [I]t would be an error of judgment to advocate the destruction of all Aardwolves in the face of existing evidence of their normally insectivorous diet.
Aardwolfs are widespread, though seldom seen. They inhabit open country, from arid scrub to moister, high-altitude grasslands.
Just as hyenas have developed a stomach capable of handling just about any biological material (rotten flesh, bone etc) so aardwolfs have developed a super powerful digestive system capable of handling tough harvester termites and all the poisons they can produce.
Hyenas evolved in Eurasia during the Miocene from ferret-like ancestors. […] Today the only dog-like hyena is Africa's termite-eating aardwolf.
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