opossum
[ uh-pos-uhm, pos-uhm ]
/ əˈpɒs əm, ˈpɒs əm /
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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.
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Also called possum.
Origin of opossum
First recorded in 1600–10, Americanism; from Virginia Algonquian (English spelling) opassom, opussum, aposoum (equivalent to Proto-Algonquian (unattested) wa˙p- “white” + (unattested) -aʔθemw- “dog”)
Words nearby opossum
Opium War, Opium Wars, OPM, Opole, Oporto, opossum, opossum block, opossum shrimp, opotherapy, opp., Oppenheim
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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