marsupial
[ mahr-soo-pee-uh l ]
/ mɑrˈsu pi əl /
noun
any viviparous, nonplacental mammal of the order Marsupialia, comprising the opossums, kangaroos, wombats, and bandicoots, the females of most species having a marsupium containing the mammary glands and serving as a receptacle for the young.
adjective
pertaining to, resembling, or having a marsupium.
of or relating to the marsupials.
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for marsupial
British Dictionary definitions for marsupial
marsupial
/ (mɑːˈsjuːpɪəl, -ˈsuː-) /
noun
any mammal of the order Marsupialia, in which the young are born in an immature state and continue development in the marsupium. The order occurs mainly in Australia and South and Central America and includes the opossums, bandicoots, koala, wombats, and kangaroos
adjective
of, relating to, or belonging to the Marsupialia
of or relating to a marsupium
Derived Formsmarsupialian (mɑːˌsjuːpɪˈeɪlɪən, -ˌsuː-) or marsupian, noun, adjective
Word Origin for marsupial
C17: see marsupium
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for marsupial
marsupial
1690s, with -al (1) + Modern Latin marsupialis "having a pouch," coined from Late Latin marsupium "pouch, purse" (Classical Latin marsuppium), from Greek marsipion, diminutive of marsipos "bag, pouch," of foreign, possibly oriental, origin. As a noun from 1805.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Science definitions for marsupial
marsupial
[ mär-sōō′pē-əl ]
Any of various mammals of the order Marsupialia, whose young are very undeveloped when born and continue developing outside their mother's body attached to one of her nipples. Most marsupials have longer hindlegs than forelimbs, and the females usually have pouches in which they carry their young. Kangaroos, opossums, and koalas are marsupials.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.