opossum
[ uh-pos-uh m, pos-uh m ]
/ əˈpɒs əm, ˈpɒs əm /
noun, plural o·pos·sums, (especially collectively) o·pos·sum.
a prehensile-tailed marsupial, Didelphis virginiana, of the eastern U.S., the female having an abdominal pouch in which its young are carried: noted for the habit of feigning death when in danger.
any of various animals of related genera.
Words nearby opossum
opium wars, opiumism, opm, opole, oporto, opossum, opossum block, opossum shrimp, opotherapy, opp., oppenheim
Compare possum.
Origin of opossum
1600–10, Americanism; < Virginia Algonquian (E spelling) opassom, opussum, aposoum (equivalent to Proto-Algonquian *wa˙p- white + *-aʔθemw- dog)
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Example sentences from the Web for opossum
British Dictionary definitions for opossum
opossum
/ (əˈpɒsəm) /
noun plural -sums or -sum
any thick-furred marsupial, esp Didelphis marsupialis (common opossum), of the family Didelphidae of S North, Central, and South America, having an elongated snout and a hairless prehensile tailSometimes (informal) shortened to: possum
Also called (Austral and NZ): possum any of various similar animals, esp the phalanger, Trichosurus vulpecula, of the New Zealand bush
Word Origin for opossum
C17: from Algonquian aposoum; related to Delaware apässum, literally: white beast
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