Illustration of opossum
- opossum 1
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
Examples of opossum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Areas of South Florida where the snakes have become dominant have seen a 90% to 99% decrease in sightings of mammal such as rabbits, opossums and raccoons.
—
Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
Some owls will hunt the wildlife that raids our garbage cans, like skunks and opossums.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
At one point, some nearby kids caught wind of the opossum and tried inching their way closer.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Resembling a battle-ready opossum, the armadillo is a fairly new resident of the Volunteer State.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
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Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
Some owls will hunt the wildlife that raids our garbage cans, like skunks and opossums.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
At one point, some nearby kids caught wind of the opossum and tried inching their way closer.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Resembling a battle-ready opossum, the armadillo is a fairly new resident of the Volunteer State.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opossum
Cite this Entry
“Opossum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opossum. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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"
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