aardvark

/ˈɑɹdˌvɑɹk/

//ˈɑɹdˌvɑɹk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“aardvark” is uncommon Portuguese (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency Portuguese
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - porco-formigueiro, aardvark, mamífero tubulidentado africano (Orycteropus afer)

Key facts for aardvark
PropertyValue
Headwordaardvark
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɑɹdˌvɑɹk/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “aardvark” sits in Portuguese frequency

aardvark falls outside the top-100,000 ranked Portuguese words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

aardvark is uncommon Portuguese outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɑɹdˌvɑɹk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "porco-formigueiro, aardvark, mamífero tubulidentado africano (Orycteropus afer)".

No misspelling variants are generated for aardvark in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct Portuguese form is aardvark, spelled A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    porco-formigueiro, aardvark, mamífero tubulidentado africano (Orycteropus afer)

Synonyms

African anteaterantbearant bearant-bearanteaterearth pig

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "aardvark"?
"aardvark" is spelled A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɑɹdˌvɑɹk/.
What does "aardvark" mean?
As a noun, "aardvark" means: porco-formigueiro, aardvark, mamífero tubulidentado africano (Orycteropus afer)
How do you pronounce "aardvark"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "aardvark" is /ˈɑɹdˌvɑɹk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "aardvark" come from?
"aardvark" is a Portuguese word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “aardvark”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɑɹdˌvɑɹk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list