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
This enables researchers to track spatial and temporal trends for many Wisconsin species, such as black bears, bobcats, coyotes, opossum and raccoons.
—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
If a rascally possum does become a problem, here's how to get rid of it and keep that opossum away.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
The Chattahoochee Nature Center holds annual Halloween Hikes, where folks dressed as animals like opossums greet kids along the way.
—
Rodney Ho,
AJC.com,
23 June 2026
In areas of Everglades National Park, where the snakes started showing up in the 1980s, sightings of mammals such as marsh rabbits, raccoons, opossums, bobcats and deer have plummeted by 80% to 99%, depending on species.
—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opossum
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Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
If a rascally possum does become a problem, here's how to get rid of it and keep that opossum away.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
The Chattahoochee Nature Center holds annual Halloween Hikes, where folks dressed as animals like opossums greet kids along the way.
—
Rodney Ho,
AJC.com,
23 June 2026
In areas of Everglades National Park, where the snakes started showing up in the 1980s, sightings of mammals such as marsh rabbits, raccoons, opossums, bobcats and deer have plummeted by 80% to 99%, depending on species.
—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opossum
Cite this Entry
“Opossum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opossum. Accessed 4 Jul. 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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