noun
possum
PO-suhm
noun
1
A tree-dwelling marsupial native to Australia and nearby islands.
"A possum rustled through the eucalyptus leaves at night."
2
In American usage, an opossum, a marsupial found throughout the Americas.
"A possum played dead on the porch until the dog left."
verb
1
To "play possum": to pretend to be asleep, sick, or dead.
"He played possum so his sister would stop bothering him."
How to Use Possum
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA marsupial (different species in Australia vs. the Americas), or to fake being asleep or dead.
Easily confused with
opossum
Common pairings
play possum
Word Forms
possumed past tense, possums plural, possums singular
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A _____ rustled through the eucalyptus leaves at night.
Etymology
A shortened form of "opossum," dropping the initial vowel sound.