possum

/ˈpɑsəm/
noun
  1. A small to medium-sized marsupial animal with a long tail, found mainly in Australia and nearby islands.
    • Possums are nocturnal animals that sleep during the day.
    • A possum climbed the tree in our backyard last night.
    • The possum used its tail to hang from a branch.
  2. In informal American English, a similar-looking animal (the opossum) found in North America.
    • We saw a possum crossing the road with its babies on its back.
    • The possum played dead when the dog approached.
    • Possums often raid garbage cans looking for food.
What does "possum" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean