1
: opossum sense 1
Well into the twentieth century in the rural South, a possum hunt remained a favorite cold-weather sport …—
Evan Jones
Evan Jones2
: 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
Jo ChandlerNote: 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, phalangerExamples of possum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Audubon’s works, some of which were created with help from his son, showcase everything from rabbits and possums to large cats and wolves.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2024
Activists found that the resort was trapping and killing wildlife, including skunks and possums.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
In turn, Splash Mountain had plenty of details — possums, bees, turtles, owls and more, many of them caught in mischief — to entice us.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024
That means that there’s a steady stream of visitors like wild turkeys, deer, possums, and raccoons visible on Sher’s nighttime camera in the back garden.
—Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 4 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for possum 
Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 17 June 2024
Activists found that the resort was trapping and killing wildlife, including skunks and possums.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
In turn, Splash Mountain had plenty of details — possums, bees, turtles, owls and more, many of them caught in mischief — to entice us.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024
That means that there’s a steady stream of visitors like wild turkeys, deer, possums, and raccoons visible on Sher’s nighttime camera in the back garden.
—Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 4 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for possum
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'possum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Possum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possum. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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