POSSUM

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does possum mean? 

• POSSUM (noun)
  The noun POSSUM has 2 senses:

1. nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America

2. small furry Australian arboreal marsupials having long usually prehensile tails

  Familiarity information: POSSUM used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• POSSUM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

opossum; possum

Hypernyms ("possum" is a kind of...):

marsupial; pouched mammal (mammals of which the females have a pouch (the marsupium) containing the teats where the young are fed and carried)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "possum"):

common opossum; Didelphis marsupialis; Didelphis virginiana (omnivorous opossum of the eastern United States; noted for feigning death when in danger; esteemed as food in some areas; considered same species as the crab-eating opossum of South America)

crab-eating opossum (South American opossum)

Holonyms ("possum" is a member of...):

Didelphidae; family Didelphidae (opossums)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Small furry Australian arboreal marsupials having long usually prehensile tails

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

opossum; phalanger; possum

Hypernyms ("possum" is a kind of...):

marsupial; pouched mammal (mammals of which the females have a pouch (the marsupium) containing the teats where the young are fed and carried)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "possum"):

cuscus (woolly-haired monkey-like arboreal marsupial of New Guinea and northern Australia)

brush-tailed phalanger; Trichosurus vulpecula (bushy-tailed phalanger)

flying opossum; flying phalanger; flying squirrel (nocturnal phalangers that move with gliding leaps using parachute-like folds of skin along the sides of the body)

kangaroo bear; koala; koala bear; native bear; Phascolarctos cinereus (sluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with grey furry ears and coat; feeds on eucalyptus leaves and bark)

Holonyms ("possum" is a member of...):

family Phalangeridae; Phalangeridae (phalangers; koalas)