Illustration of opossum
- opossum 1
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
Examples of opossum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fleas are carried constantly into your yard by wildlife that passes through, such as skunks, raccoons, opossums, mice, and deer, says Benson.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2024
Officials said one pair had items that would aid them in carrying out thefts — as well as, strangely, wild opossums.
—Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024
Samara asks, wondering if another opossum is hidden in the bush, waiting to jump out.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2024
Officials said the pair were also found to be in possession of items to aid in theft and several wild opossums.
—Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opossum 
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2024
Officials said one pair had items that would aid them in carrying out thefts — as well as, strangely, wild opossums.
—Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024
Samara asks, wondering if another opossum is hidden in the bush, waiting to jump out.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2024
Officials said the pair were also found to be in possession of items to aid in theft and several wild opossums.
—Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opossum
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opossum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Opossum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opossum. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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"
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