Trends ofopossum
View usage for:
opossum
(əpɒsəm)
Word forms: plural opossums
variable noun
An opossum is a small animal that lives in America. It carries its young in a pouch on its body, and has thick fur and a long tail.
opossum in British English
(əˈpɒsəm)
nounWord forms: plural -sums or -sum
1.
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 tail
Sometimes (informal) shortened to: possum2. Also called (Austral and NZ): possum
any of various similar animals, esp the phalanger, Trichosurus vulpecula, of the New Zealand bush
Word origin
C17: from Algonquian aposoum; related to Delaware apässum, literally: white beastopossum in American English
(əˈpɑsəm)
US
nounWord forms: plural oˈpossums or oˈpossum
any of various families (esp. Didelphidae) of marsupials; esp., any of a small, omnivorous, tree-dwelling American species (Didelphis marsupialis) with a ratlike, prehensile tail, that is active at night and becomes motionless when endangered
Word origin
< AmInd (Algonquian) name, lit., white beastImage ofopossum
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