opossum
[ uh-pos-uh m, pos-uh m ]
/ əˈpɒs əm, ˈpɒs əm /
noun, plural o·pos·sums, (especially collectively) o·pos·sum.
a prehensile-tailed marsupial, Didelphis virginiana, of the eastern U.S., the female having an abdominal pouch in which its young are carried: noted for the habit of feigning death when in danger.
any of various animals of related genera.
Compare
possum.
Origin of opossum
1600–10,
Americanism; < Virginia Algonquian (E spelling)
opassom, opussum, aposoum (equivalent to Proto-Algonquian
*wa˙p- white +
*-aʔθemw- dog)
Words nearby opossum
opium wars,
opiumism,
opm,
opole,
oporto,
opossum,
opossum block,
opossum shrimp,
opotherapy,
opp.,
oppenheim
Example sentences from the Web for opossum
British Dictionary definitions for opossum
opossum
/ (əˈpɒsəm) /
noun plural -sums or -sum
any thick-furred marsupial, esp Didelphis marsupialis (common opossum), of the family Didelphidae of S North, Central, and South America, having an elongated snout and a hairless prehensile tail
Sometimes (informal) shortened to: possum
Also called (Austral and NZ): possum
any of various similar animals, esp the phalanger, Trichosurus vulpecula, of the New Zealand bush
Word Origin for opossum
C17: from Algonquian
aposoum; related to Delaware
apässum, literally: white beast