opossum

noun

opos·​sum ə-ˈpä-səm  ˈpä-səm 

plural opossums also opossum

1

: any of a family (Didelphidae) of small- to medium-sized American marsupials that usually have a pointed snout and nearly hairless scaly prehensile tail, are typically active at night, and are sometimes hunted for their fur or meat

especially : a common omnivorous largely nocturnal mammal (Didelphis virginiana) of North and Central America that is a skilled climber, that typically has a white face and grayish body and in the female a well-developed fur-lined pouch, and that when threatened may feign death by curling up the body and remaining motionless and unresponsive

2

: possum sense 2

Illustration of opossum

• opossum 1

Examples of opossum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One 2009 study in the Journal of Wildlife Management found that Texas biologists surveying otters frequently mistook raccoon, opossum and even house cat tracks for otter prints. —Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024

The shelter took in the new opossum from Motor City Possum Rescue, bringing the opossum in for a meet-and-greet before deciding to keep it. —Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 6 June 2024

That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024

Pair of suspects also has opossums Sept. 12, 2024 His mother, Connie Halstenberg, told The Times her son is innocent. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

earlier apossoun, opassom, borrowed from a Virginia Algonquian word of uncertain form, going back to Algonquian *wa·p- "white" + *-aʔθemw- "dog, small animal"

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

opossum

noun

opos·​sum (ə-)ˈpäs-əm 

plural opossums also opossum

: a common marsupial mammal mostly of the eastern U.S. that usually is active at night, has a tail that can wrap around and grasp objects (as tree branches), and is an expert climber

Etymology

from apossoun, opassom, a word in an Algonquian language of Virginia meaning, literally, "white dog"