Aasvogel

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈɑːsËŒfəʊ.É¡É™l/
• GenAm IPA: /ˈɑsËŒfoÊŠ.É¡É™l/

Alternative forms

• aasvoel

Origin

Borrowing from af aasvogel (obsolete), from Afrikaans, aas ("carrion") + vogel ("bird"), from Dutch.

SOED5|page=2

MW3 1976|page=3

• Cognate Afrikaans aasvoël

Full definition of aasvogel

Noun

1. (South Africa, rare, literary) Vulture. First attested in the mid 19^th century.
• 1912, H. Rider Haggard, Marie, As the charge exploded I saw the aasvogel give a kind of backward twist.

Usage notes

This word has no currency in modern South African English. It has been used by writers Rider Haggard and Saki to lend colour and authenticity to their works.