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

Visit Animals At Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge This wildlife rehabilitation center has aided opossums, squirrels, turtles, pelicans, and many more native species. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2025

Two male peafowl, one adult opossum and one juvenile opossum were brought to the center. —Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 10 Jan. 2025

The Wild Robot filmmakers found their look when going over early concept art that had the island’s natural environment and its animals — foxes, bears, beavers, opossums and others — drawn in a painterly way. —Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025

The area is also an important habitat for scrub jays, wading birds, burrowing owls, raccoons, opossums, rabbits and gopher tortoises. —Noël Fletcher, Forbes, 24 Dec. 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"