marsupial

1 of 2

noun

mar·​su·​pi·​al mär-ˈsü-pē-əl 

: any of an order (Marsupialia) of mammals comprising kangaroos, wombats, bandicoots, opossums, and related animals that do not develop a true placenta and that usually have a pouch on the abdomen of the female which covers the teats and serves to carry the young

marsupial

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or being a marsupial

2

: of, relating to, or forming a marsupium

Examples of marsupial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For example, marsupials such as the Tammar wallaby can produce two types of milk simultaneously to meet the nutritional needs of offspring at different developmental stages, a phenomenon known as asynchronous concurrent lactation. —Gat Rauner, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2024

Kelk spent each morning walking the sand dunes of a conservation reserve in South Australia’s Roxby Downs, searching for footprints that this rabbit-sized marsupial may have left the night before. —Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Adjective

The Past Cave paintings reveal what extinct animals may have looked like Rock art in northern Australia depicts marsupial lions, giant kangaroos, and other megafauna that populated the Land Down Under long ago. —Big Think, 24 June 2024

Its improbable marsupial wildlife, having evolved over epochs of biogeographic isolation, implies another. —John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from the base of New Latin Marsupialia, order name, from neuter plural of marsūpiālis "of a pouch," from marsūpium "pouch, marsupium" + -ālis -al entry 1

Adjective

borrowed from New Latin marsūpiālis — more at marsupial entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1805, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

marsupial

1 of 2 adjective

mar·​su·​pi·​al mär-ˈsü-pē-əl 

: of, relating to, or being a marsupial

marsupial

2 of 2 noun

: any of an order of mammals (as kangaroos and opossums) that have a pouch on the abdomen of the female containing the teats and serving to carry the young