English Explanatory Dictionary

opossum

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any American marsupial of the family Didelphidae in the order Didelphimorphia.

Pronunciation

/əˈpɒsəm/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-opossum.wav ə-päsʹəm /əˈpɑsəm/

Word forms

opossum opossums

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Algonquian *wa·p- Proto-Algonquian *aθemwa Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-aʔθemwa Powhatan aposoumbor. English opossum From Powhatan aposoum (“white animal”), from Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-aʔθemwa (“white dog”); compare Ojibwe waabasim (“white dog”).

Synonyms

didelphid possum

Related words

yapok

Derived words

colocolo opossum gray short-tailed opossum mouse opossum opossum mouse opossum rat opossum shrimp shrew opossum water opossum woolly mouse opossum woolly opossum
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