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
The Chachapoyas mouse opossum can reach over 10 inches in length, the study said.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025
That’s a sure way to invite not only skunks but other unwanted guests such as opossums, says Mengak.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 June 2025
The list is long, but the most common local wild species includes bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, deer, mountain lions, skunks, foxes, cottontail rabbits and opossums.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
Likely, species that already thrive in the subway—rats, cockroaches, pigeons, opossums—would be the first ones to take advantage of the human-free passages.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 5 June 2025
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Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025
That’s a sure way to invite not only skunks but other unwanted guests such as opossums, says Mengak.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 June 2025
The list is long, but the most common local wild species includes bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, deer, mountain lions, skunks, foxes, cottontail rabbits and opossums.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
Likely, species that already thrive in the subway—rats, cockroaches, pigeons, opossums—would be the first ones to take advantage of the human-free passages.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for opossum
Cite this Entry
“Opossum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opossum. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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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