Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
A marsupial of several families of the order Diprotodontia, found in Australia and neighboring islands.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An opossum, a marsupial of the family Didelphidae of the Americas.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To play possum; to feign sleep, illness, or death.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: opossum
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: marsupial, pouched mammal
Narrower terms: common opossum, Didelphis virginiana, Didelphis marsupialis, crab-eating opossum
noun
small furry Australian arboreal marsupials having long usually prehensile tails
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: phalanger, opossum
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: marsupial, pouched mammal
Narrower terms: cuscus, brush-tailed phalanger, Trichosurus vulpecula, flying phalanger, flying opossum, flying squirrel, koala, koala bear, kangaroo bear, native bear, Phascolarctos cinereus
History
Etymology tree Proto-Algonquian *wa·p- Proto-Algonquian *aθemwa Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-aʔθemwa Powhatan aposoumbor. English opossumder. English possum Derived from opossum by apheresis.
Across languages
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
