marsupial

American  

[mahr-soo-pee-uhl] / mɑrˈsu pi əl /

noun

• marsupials
  plural

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- /

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

Derived Forms

• marsupialian
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• marsupials
  plural

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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

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Compare meaning

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

• marsupial vs. mammal

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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

See Examples For:

marsupial marsupials

Bogong moths are thought to help plants spread pollen and are also a key food source for the mountain pygmy possum, a critically endangered cave-dwelling marsupial.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Those skills were critical in helping rescuers to find marsupial survivors of bush fires.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

On an island just off the coast is one of the last surviving pockets of the world's rarest marsupial, the Gilbert's potoroo.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

If that is correct, Keeunamorphia could represent one of the earliest marsupial orders to branch off from the main lineage.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

So when a diprotodon, the largest marsupial ever to walk the earth, set eyes for the first time on this frail-looking ape, he probably gave it one glance and then went back to chewing leaves.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

"Whatever these things were, they seemed to be primitive compared to other marsupials at the time, and they seem to have been doing their own thing and surviving well enough alongside them," says Dr. Churchill.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

According to Dr. Churchill, early members of Keeunamorphia may have appeared not long after the first marsupials arrived in Australia from Antarctica around 55 million years ago.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

Scientists may never be able to fully reconstruct the routes that early marsupials took as they spread and evolved.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

This pattern fits seamlessly among other evolutionary oddities found in Australia, where marsupials reign and mammals lay eggs.

From Science Daily ● May 21, 2026

He said hornets better represent the Merryweather spirit than foreign marsupials, plus the Wombat mascot costume was going to suck money from the prom committee’s budget.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

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