marsupial

American  

[mahr-soo-pee-uhl] / mɑrˈsu pi əl /

noun

1. 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.

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adjective

1. pertaining to, resembling, or having a marsupium.

2. of or relating to the marsupials.

marsupial British  

/ mɑːˈsjuːpɪəl, -ˈsuː-, -ˌsuː-, mɑːˌsjuːpɪˈeɪlɪən /

noun

1. 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

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Marsupialia

2. of or relating to a marsupium

marsupial Scientific  

/ mär-so̅o̅′pē-əl /

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• marsupialian
  noun

Etymology

Origin of marsupial

First recorded in 1690–1700, marsupial is from the New Latin word marsupiālis pertaining to a pouch. See marsupium, -al ¹

Compare meaning

How does marsupial compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• marsupial vs. mammal

Explanation

Like primates, marsupials are a type of mammal. One thing all members of this family have in common is a pouch. The most famous marsupial is the kangaroo, but there are many others, such as wallabies, opossums, koalas, and wombats. What makes marsupials different from primates or rodents (who are also mammals) is that the mothers have pouches to hold their young. This is because when marsupial babies are born, they're not quite ready for the world, so the pouch gives them a chance to grow and be safe before having to live on their own. When you think marsupial, think "pouch."

Example Sentences

Staff at Hobart Airport in Australia's Tasmania state said the disoriented marsupial was spotted among the stuffed toys on Wednesday.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

In recent years, scientists have aimed to clone the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine, an extinct marsupial.

From Salon • Jun. 19, 2024

"It may have been at least as diverse as the later Australian marsupial fauna... but I would need more evidence," Flinders University palaeontologist Rod Wells told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

From BBC • May 27, 2024

But you probably wouldn’t see one: While the animals are plentiful, sightings remain extremely rare because northern marsupial moles live in tunnels beneath sand dunes, navigating them with a swimming-like motion using flipper-like front feet.

From New York Times • May 1, 2024

His rosy face just now untucked itself, the whole moment marsupial, strangely wondrous that way, and I thought if I had tasted a family hunger all my life that this should be my daily bread.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee