marsupial

[ mahr-soo-pee-uhl ]

noun

1. any viviparous, nonplacental mammal of the order Marsupialia, comprising the opossums, kangaroos, wombats, and bandicoots, the females of most species having a marsupium containing the mammary glands and serving as a receptacle for the young.

adjective

1. pertaining to, resembling, or having a marsupium.
2. of or relating to the marsupials.

marsupial

/ mɑːˈsjuːpɪəl; -ˈsuː-; -ˌsuː-; mɑːˌsjuːpɪˈeɪlɪən /

noun

1. any mammal of the order Marsupialia, in which the young are born in an immature state and continue development in the marsupium. The order occurs mainly in Australia and South and Central America and includes the opossums, bandicoots, koala, wombats, and kangaroos

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Marsupialia
2. of or relating to a marsupium

marsupial

/ mär-so̅o̅′pē-əl /

1. Any of various mammals of the order Marsupialia, whose young are very undeveloped when born and continue developing outside their mother's body attached to one of her nipples. Most marsupials have longer hindlegs than forelimbs, and the females usually have pouches in which they carry their young. Kangaroos, opossums, and koalas are marsupials.

Derived Forms

• marsupialian, nounadjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of marsupial¹

First recorded in 1690–1700, marsupial is from the New Latin word marsupiālis pertaining to a pouch. See marsupium, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of marsupial¹

C17: see marsupium

Example Sentences

Another example can be seen among the marsupial mammals of Australia, an island where animal evolution diverged from the rest of the world far back in evolutionary time, we see creatures with eerie parallels to mammals from other continents, creatures that occupy the same ecological niche or role and have evolved similar body shapes or abilities to cope.

From Salon

In recent years, scientists have aimed to clone the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine, an extinct marsupial.

From Salon

The reverse trek was made by four different kinds of ground sloths, oversized armadillos, terror birds, capybaras and even a marsupial.

From Science Daily

"It may have been at least as diverse as the later Australian marsupial fauna... but I would need more evidence," Flinders University palaeontologist Rod Wells told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

From BBC

Every species in the marsupial community, moreover, demonstrated the same pattern, being roughly twice as likely to flee from humans as the next most frightening predator, which in each case was dogs, and all were most vigilant to humans.

From Science Daily