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Definition of opossum

opossum

/əˈpɑː.səm/
o · pos · sum
Plural:opossums
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opossum Lexical Profile

opossum Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

American A nocturnal, omnivorous marsupial of the order Didelphimorphia, native to the Americas, characterized by a prehensile tail, a pointed snout, and the defensive habit of feigning death.

Example

"The headlights of the car illuminated an opossum slowly crossing the rural road with several babies clinging tightly to her back."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for opossum

Word Nuance & Usage

In North America, 'opossum' is frequently shortened colloquially to 'possum', though biologically, true possums are a distinct suborder of marsupials native to Australasia.

• Rhymes for opossum

• Nearby Words

opioid
opium
oporto
opossum
opponent
opportune
opportunism

Word Origin & Etymology

Early 17th century: from Virginia Algonquian (Powhatan) 'aposoum', meaning 'white dog' or 'white animal'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Opossum. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/opossum
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