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

Gift shop staff spotted the possum and alerted the airport operations team. —Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2026

Traveler Melissa Oddie captured video of the possum, which was later shared by the airport on its Facebook page before going viral. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026

Resting on a shelf and clinging to it with its paw, the possum stared ahead cautiously. —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026

Among plush kangaroos, dingoes and Tasmanian devils ready to be bought by parents of antsy children, a live brushtail possum waited in a gift shop at an Australian airport this week. —Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 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