marsupial

1 of 2

noun

mar·​su·​pi·​al mär-ˈsü-pē-əl How to pronounce marsupial (audio)
: 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
An extinct group of rodent-like animals called multituberculates was particularly prosperous, as were the forebears of modern marsupials. Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 12 Jan. 2024 The Tampa Bay Times reported that its name, appropriately, is Hopper. Kangaroos, marsupials native to Australia, can grow to almost 6 feet in height and weigh nearly 200 pounds. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2024 These carnivorous marsupials, which resemble a mousy shrew, have just three weeks to mate with as many females as possible. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024 For the uninitiated, antechinus are a grouping of mice-like marsupials, which carry 15 equally cute species in their ranks. Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024 Early in the morning on Jan. 27, a security camera at a Southlake, Texas, home caught an opossum — the only marsupial native to North America — swiping a package off the porch. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2024 Among marsupials, newborn joeys emerge at a remarkably early developmental stage. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2024 Numbats—small, endangered marsupials that live in Australia—are at risk of overheating amid global warming, a new study finds. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2024 Kangaroo features These marsupials have remarkable features that distinguish them in the animal kingdom. Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2024
Adjective
According to an October 2018 study published in the journal Nature, the marsupial lion, who depended on the forest to ambush its prey, likely went extinct because of climate change, and Nimbadon might have faced the same end. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 27 Oct. 2023 The striped, marsupial predator, and largest of its kind, moved at a slow, stiff-legged pace through the grasslands of Australia, hunting singly or in pairs. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2023 Species like the marsupial lion, the giant eagle and the Megalania also blinked out of the fossil record around this time. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 28 June 2023 Only one of these is a metatherian; these marsupial ancestors, once so abundant in the Cretaceous, were nearly extinguished. Steve Brusatte, Scientific American, 1 June 2022 Belov had just earned her Ph.D. showing that marsupial immune systems were vigorous, much like humans’. Julie Rehmeyer, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2014 The current plan calls for taking stem cells from the living dasyurid, or dunnart—a marsupial relative that bears basically no resemblance to the thylacine (think: mouse-like dunnart vs. wolf-like Tasmanian tiger)—and then editing genes to get as close to a new thylacine as possible. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2022 According to a release from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Bear, the dog who earned admiration during Australia's 2019-2020 wildfire season for his work saving koalas, recently received a special honor for his marsupial rescue work. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 25 Oct. 2021 The show follows the story of three spunky marsupial siblings as their adventures lead them to new heights and new opportunities for learning. Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marsupial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of marsupial was in 1805

Dictionary Entries Near marsupial

Cite this Entry

“Marsupial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marsupial. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

marsupial

1 of 2 adjective
mar·​su·​pi·​al mär-ˈsü-pē-əl How to pronounce marsupial (audio)
: 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

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