Dictionary

aardwolf en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /-vʊlf/ (General-South-African)
• (General-American) audio
• /ˈɑːdwʊlf/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɑːdvɒlf/ (General-South-African)
• /ˈɑːt-/ (General-South-African)
• /ˈɑɹdˌwʊlf/ (General-American)

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).

Meanings

1. 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.
   • Aardwolfs are widespread, though seldom seen. They inhabit open country, from arid scrub to moister, high-altitude grasslands. 2003, Mike Unwin, “Mammals”, in South African Wildlife: A Visitor’s Guide, Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire: Bradt Travel Guides; Guilford, Conn.: The Globe Pequot Press, →ISBN, page 51:
   • 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. 1833, “AARD-WOLF”, in [George Long], editor, The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, volumes I (A–Andes), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], →OCLC, pages 4–5:
   • 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. 2004, Sean Nicholson, “Mammals”, in Namibian Wildlife: An Alternative Guide for the Traveller on Safari, [Morrisville, N.C.]: [Lulu.com], →ISBN, page 45:
   • [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). [1831 March 22 (date delivered), “Report of the Committee of Science and Correspondence to the Council”, in Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society of London, part I (1830–1831), London: […] [F]or the [Zoological] Society [of London], by Richard Taylor, […], →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 79 and 86:
   • Hyenas evolved in Eurasia during the Miocene from ferret-like ancestors. […] Today the only dog-like hyena is Africa's termite-eating aardwolf. 2018, Tim Flannery, “A Miocene Bestiary”, in Europe: The First 100 Million Years, London: Allen Lane, →ISBN, part II (Becoming Continental), page 108:
   • 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. [1878], Parker Gillmore, “An Objectionable Host—Travelling Companions”, in The Great Thirst Land: A Ride through Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal, and Kalahari Desert, London; Paris: Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co. […], →OCLC, page 205:
   • 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. 1942 September, G[uy] C[hester] Shortridge, “Field Notes on the First and Second Expeditions of the Cape Museums’ Mammal Survey of the Cape Province; and Descriptions of Some New Subgenera and Subspecies”, in Annals of the South African Museum, volume XXXVI, part I, Edinburgh: […] [F]or the trustees of the South African Museum by Neill and Co., […], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 44:
   • 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. 1916 February 22 (date delivered), P[eter] Chalmers Mitchell, “Further Observations on the Intestinal Tract of Mammals”, in Proceedings of the General Meetings for Scientific Business of the Zoological Society of London, number I, London: […] [F]or the [Zoological] Society [of London], […] [by] Messrs. Longmans, Green, and Co., […], published March 1916, →OCLC, page 235:

Forms

Relateds

aardvark · earth dog

Synonyms

civet hyena · maanhaar-jackal · termite-eating hyena · earthwolf · maanhaar

Translations (81)

fr loup fouisseur (Proteles cristatus) · pl protel grzywiasty (Proteles cristatus) · sh zemni vuk (Proteles cristatus) · sw fisi mdogo (Proteles cristatus) · sl pižmova hijena (Proteles cristatus) · sl zemeljski volk (Proteles cristatus) · eo protelo (Proteles cristatus) · br protel (Proteles cristatus) · lt žeminis vilkas (Proteles cristatus) · be воўк земляны (Proteles cristatus) · gl prótele (Proteles cristatus) · lt urvinė hiena (Proteles cristatus) · pt protelo (Proteles cristatus) · cs hyena cibetková (Proteles cristatus) · cs hyenka hřivnatá (Proteles cristatus) · ko 땅늑대 (Proteles cristatus) · gl lobo de terra (Proteles cristatus) · nb jordulv (Proteles cristatus) · da jordulv (Proteles cristatus) · el άαρντ-γουλφ (Proteles cristatus) · nn jordulv (Proteles cristatus) · nl aardwolf (Proteles cristatus) · fa گرگ خاکی (Proteles cristatus) · et tsiibethüään (Proteles cristatus) · pt lobo-da-terra (Proteles cristatus) · cmn 土狼 (Proteles cristatus) · he צְבוֹעוֹן (Proteles cristatus) · pl protel (Proteles cristatus) · az yer canavarı (Proteles cristatus) · ja アードウルフ (Proteles cristatus) · af erdwolf (Proteles cristatus) · ja 土狼 (Proteles cristatus) · ka მიწის მგელი (Proteles cristatus) · eu lur otso (Proteles cristatus) · de Erdwolf (Proteles cristatus) · kmr keftarê axî (Proteles cristatus) · sv jordvarg (Proteles cristatus) · oc protèla (Proteles cristatus) · ga faolchú talún (Proteles cristatus) · id serigala bumi (Proteles cristatus) · tt җир бүресе (Proteles cristatus) · cy blaidd daear (Proteles cristatus) · scn proteli (Proteles cristatus) · ngh ǃoo (Proteles cristatus) · ms serigala bumi (Proteles cristatus) · ar ذِئْب الأَرْض (Proteles cristatus) · am ቀመር ዥብ (Proteles cristatus) · om golloo (Proteles cristatus) · nl maanhaarjakhals (Proteles cristatus) · bg земен вълк (Proteles cristatus) · sh земни вук (Proteles cristatus) · hy հողագայլ (Proteles cristatus) · es proteles (Proteles cristatus) · uk земляни́й вовк (Proteles cristatus) · tr yerkurdu (Proteles cristatus) · yi ערדוואָלף (Proteles cristatus) · es lobo de tierra (Proteles cristatus) · is jarðúlfur (Proteles cristatus) · ru земляно́й волк (Proteles cristatus) · kk топырақ қасқыры (Proteles cristatus) · it protele (Proteles cristatus) · fi maasusi (Proteles cristatus) · cy daearflaidd (Proteles cristatus) · vi chó sói đất (Proteles cristatus) · ar عِسْبَار (Proteles cristatus) · lv zemesvilks (Proteles cristatus) · tr böcekçil sırtlan (Proteles cristatus) · af aardwolf (Proteles cristatus) · hu cibethiéna (Proteles cristatus) · kmr gurgê axî (Proteles cristatus) · ca pròteles (Proteles cristatus) · ss ingci (Proteles cristatus) · ro lupul de pământ (Proteles cristatus) · vo talalup (Proteles cristatus) · te ఆర్డ్వుల్ఫ్ (Proteles cristatus) · mn шороон цөөвөр чоно (Proteles cristatus) · sk hyena cibetovitá (Proteles cristatus) · zu isínci (Proteles cristatus) · yue 土狼 (Proteles cristatus) · fr protèle (Proteles cristatus) · hi कीटभक्षी लकड़बग्घा (Proteles cristatus)