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-, 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

Derived Forms

• marsupialian
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• marsupials
  plural

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

See Examples For:

marsupial marsupials

The discovery offers a rare look at some of the earliest stages of marsupial evolution on the continent.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

Dr. Churchill says this points to a distinct marsupial lineage that had not been recognized before.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

The numbat, a small Australian marsupial once reduced to just a few hundred animals, is making a remarkable comeback thanks to decades of conservation work.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

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

“Madam marsupial, it would be a great honor and absolute privilege if you would kindly inform me of your name.”

From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown

Although phylogenetic trees often point to a single early group that later gave rise to modern Australian marsupials, the fossil evidence appears less tidy.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

The standard explanation is that marsupials reached Australia after traveling from South America through Antarctica, before the ancient supercontinent Gondwana split apart.

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

However, their teeth were unusual, and they did not seem to be closely related to the other marsupials around them.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 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