1
: opossum sense 1
Well into the twentieth century in the rural South, a possum hunt remained a favorite cold-weather sport …—
Evan Jones
Evan Jones2
: any of various small to medium-sized, nocturnal, chiefly arboreal marsupial mammals (especially families Phalangeridae, Pseudocheiridae, and Petauridae) of Australia and New Guinea that have thick, soft fur, a prehensile tail, and a rounded head with protruding eyes and that are mainly herbivorous
A member of Australia's rich endemic possum population, it is named for its lemur-like eyes.—Jo Chandler
Jo ChandlerNote: Possums have a head and body ranging in length from 12 1/2 to 25 1/2 inches (320 to 655 mm) with a tail nearly as long.
see cuscus, phalangerExamples of possum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Larvae only feed on mice, while nymphs prefer medium-sized mammals, such as possums and raccoons – but adult dog ticks readily feed on humans.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2025
Moreover, the team found that the pink photoluminescence in both bandicoot species, as well as in the quoll and possum, was probably tied to the presence of other porphyrin compounds in their fur, including uroporphyrin, coproporphyrin, and heptacarboxylporphyrin.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 May 2025
No wonder Craig feels more like a bunch of possums in a skin suit.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
That often meant mixing wild game such as venison, squirrel, rabbit, wild turkey and even pigeon or possum into a pot with carrots, onions, corn and okra.
—Brian Bennett, New York Times, 2 May 2025
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Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 19 May 2025
Moreover, the team found that the pink photoluminescence in both bandicoot species, as well as in the quoll and possum, was probably tied to the presence of other porphyrin compounds in their fur, including uroporphyrin, coproporphyrin, and heptacarboxylporphyrin.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 May 2025
No wonder Craig feels more like a bunch of possums in a skin suit.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
That often meant mixing wild game such as venison, squirrel, rabbit, wild turkey and even pigeon or possum into a pot with carrots, onions, corn and okra.
—Brian Bennett, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for possum
Cite this Entry
“Possum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possum. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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