Definition of possum
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: opossum sense 1
Well into the twentieth century in the rural South, a possum hunt remained a favorite cold-weather sport …— Evan Jones
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: 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, phalangerKeep scrolling for more
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for possum
The first known use of possum was in 1613
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