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

see also:

play possum

Examples of possum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Issa’s desperation to keep things sexy, Paul Baker’s desire not to be a bad guy, the possum’s interest in food — as well as what was keeping them there. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

Playing that felt more emotional and raw and, ultimately, scarier than doing the threesome scene with the possum. — Angelina Mazza, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Another school simply had students drown possum joeys in a bucket. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Here’s how to discourage pesky possums from hanging around your house and yard. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing possum

• play possum

Rhymes for possum

• awesome
• blossom
• lysosome
• opossum
• odontoglossum

Kids Definition

possum

noun

pos·​sum ˈpäs-əm 

: opossum