Word Study
possum
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun possum has 2 senses
- possum(n = noun.animal) opossum - nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America; Array is a kind of marsupial, pouched mammal
- possum(n = noun.animal) opossum, phalanger - small furry Australian arboreal marsupials having long usually prehensile tails; Array is a kind of marsupial, pouched mammal
is a member of didelphidae, family didelphidae
has particulars: common opossum, didelphis marsupialis, didelphis virginiana, crab-eating opossum
is a member of family phalangeridae, phalangeridae
has particulars: cuscus, brush-tailed phalanger, trichosurus vulpecula, flying opossum, flying phalanger, flying squirrel, kangaroo bear, koala, koala bear, native bear, phascolarctos cinereus
CIDE DICTIONARY
possum, n. [Shortened from opossum.].
An opossum. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
possum, n.
1 colloq. = OPOSSUM 1.
2 Austral. & NZ colloq. a phalanger resembling an American opossum.
1 colloq. = OPOSSUM 1.
2 Austral. & NZ colloq. a phalanger resembling an American opossum.
Idiom
play possum
1 pretend to be asleep or unconscious when threatened.
2 feign ignorance.
1 pretend to be asleep or unconscious when threatened.
2 feign ignorance.
Etymology
abbr.
THESAURUS
possum
Cape polecat, ape, bar, bear, cavy, chimp, chimpanzee, coon, ferret, foumart, glutton, groundhog, guinea pig, hedgehog, monk, monkey, mousehound, opossum, polecat, porcupine, prairie dog, quill pig, raccoon, skunk, weasel, whistle-pig, wolverine, woodchuck, zoril
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