possum

noun

pos·​sum ˈpä-səm 

1

: opossum sense 1

Well into the twentieth century in the rural South, a possum hunt remained a favorite cold-weather sport …

—Evan Jones

2

: any of various small to medium-sized, nocturnal, chiefly arboreal marsupial mammals (especially families Phalangeridae, Pseudocheiridae, and Petauridae) of Australia and New Guinea that have thick, soft fur, a prehensile tail, and a rounded head with protruding eyes and that are mainly herbivorous

A member of Australia's rich endemic possum population, it is named for its lemur-like eyes.

—Jo Chandler

Note: Possums have a head and body ranging in length from 12 1/2 to 25 1/2 inches (320 to 655 mm) with a tail nearly as long.

see cuscus, phalanger

Examples of possum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In turn, Splash Mountain had plenty of details — possums, bees, turtles, owls and more, many of them caught in mischief — to entice us. —Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024

That means that there’s a steady stream of visitors like wild turkeys, deer, possums, and raccoons visible on Sher’s nighttime camera in the back garden. —Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 4 June 2024

Cicada predators include foxes, skunks, squirrels, raccoons and possums. —Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 22 May 2024

Whether he was genuinely knocked out after being hit over the head or simply playing possum in the hope of avoiding a bullet was unclear to me. —Chris Klimek, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing possum

• play possum

Kids Definition

possum

noun

pos·​sum ˈpäs-əm 

: opossum