possum

noun

pos·sum ˈpä-səm

: opossum sense 1

Well into the twentieth century in the rural South, a possum hunt remained a favorite cold-weather sport …—

Evan Jones

: any of various small to medium-sized, nocturnal, chiefly arboreal marsupial mammals (especially families Phalangeridae, Pseudocheiridae, and Petauridae) of Australia and New Guinea that have thick, soft fur, a prehensile tail, and a rounded head with protruding eyes and that are mainly herbivorous

A member of Australia's rich endemic possum population, it is named for its lemur-like eyes.—

Jo Chandler

Note: Possums have a head and body ranging in length from 12 1/2 to 25 1/2 inches (320 to 655 mm) with a tail nearly as long.

see cuscus, phalanger

Examples of possum in a Sentence

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The sign outside proudly touts the base’s bowling alley, the guard tower has been overtaken by possums and the soldiers all need haircuts. —

Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 2 Jan. 2025 Downward ‘possum might not be a traditional yoga pose but Shadow, Twig and Flapjack are trying to change that. —

Deena Butterfield, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025 But what comes out is not a raccoon, a stray dog or a possum. —

Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025 Researchers suspect possums are the primary source, with transmission probably involving mosquitoes. —

John Drake, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for possum