opossum

noun

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

Illustration of opossum

Illustration of opossum
  • opossum 1

Examples of opossum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What followed was hours of late-night exploring, complete with a run-in with an opossum, before the cat eventually returned indoors—only to be found resting inside a dresser drawer the next morning. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 The American River Parkway is home to wildlife, such as otters, beavers, turtles, many bird species, opossum and more. Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2025 The agency recommends that people not pick up the opossum if the creature appears to be dead. David Chiu, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025 This encourages chipmunks, as well as other wildlife, such as raccoons, opossums, and skunks to visit, says Owen. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for opossum

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of opossum was in 1610

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Cite this Entry

“Opossum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opossum. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

opossum

noun
opos·​sum (ə-)ˈpäs-əm How to pronounce opossum (audio)
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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