opossum

noun

opos·​sum ə-ˈpä-səm  ˈpä-səm 

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

: possum sense 2

Illustration of opossum

• opossum 1

Examples of opossum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Evolutionary tree appearance depends on focus Marsupials such as opossums, or monotremes such as the platypus, are often shown at the bottom or left side of an evolutionary tree. —Kevin Omland, The Conversation, 9 Feb. 2026

But toads and frogs are also prey animals for owls, hawks, skunks, opossums, and raccoons. —Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026

There is the rescue story of Caliopea, a baby North American porcupine whose mom did not produce any milk and had to be hand raised and Lucius, an opossum, who had been shot in the head with a BB gun and lost his natural protective behaviors. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026

Areas of South Florida where the snakes have become dominant have seen a 90% to 99% decrease in sightings of mammals such as rabbits, opossums and raccoons. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for opossum

• lysosome
• awesome
• blossom
• possum
• odontoglossum

Kids 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"