possum
UK[ˈpɒsəm]US[ˈpɑːsəm]
n
An opossum, especially one found in North America.
n
(Australia/New Zealand) A type of marsupial, such as a phalanger, that is not a true opossum.
Etymology
The word 'possum' is a classic example of a loanword that entered English through colonial contact in North America. It originates from the Powhatan word 'aposoum', recorded by Captain John Smith in the early 1600s, which translates literally to "white animal". This term was borrowed and shortened in common speech to 'possum', a process known as aphesis. The word then traveled with English speakers to Australia and New Zealand, where it was reapplied to different, though superficially similar, marsupial species, demonstrating how a borrowed term can evolve and expand its referent in a new linguistic and ecological context.
Analysis
The word 'possum' is a shortened, colloquial form of the word 'opossum'. It is a loanword from the Powhatan (Algonquian) language 'aposoum', meaning "white animal".
Examples
We saw a possum rummaging through the garbage cans last night.
The ringtail possum is a common nocturnal marsupial in Australian forests.
She played possum, lying completely still until the danger passed.