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

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

From Salon

There are also jobs for truffle hunters, "wine whisperers" and wombat walkers willing to take the marsupials "on their morning waddle".

From BBC

Large marsupials like kangaroos and wallabies tended to avoid burrows, unless they had been flooded with rainwater; then they used them as watering holes.

From New York Times

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

From Science Daily

"They show the world that long before Australia became the land of pouched mammals, marsupials, this was a land of furry egg-layers - monotremes," Ms Smith says.

From BBC