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

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

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

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

The herbivorous marsupial can also reabsorb water from the colon and produce more concentrated urine to preserve hydration, or allow its body temperature to fluctuate with the environment in a process known as heterothermy.

From Barron's ● May 26, 2026

As they pushed on, they encountered a strange universe of unknown creatures that included a 450-pound, six-foot kangaroo, and a marsupial lion, as massive as a modern tiger, that was the continent’s largest predator.

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

The analysis showed that these three species lived alongside several other marsupials that scientists had already studied.

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

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

Fossils dating back about 55 million years suggest that Australian marsupials may have come from a single early lineage that later divided into the marsupial groups alive today.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

But Australia / New Guinea formerly had its own suite of diverse big mammals, including giant kangaroos, rhinolike marsupials called diprotodonts and reaching the size of a cow, and a marsupial “leopard.”

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond