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

Some marsupials, like kangaroos, have pouches that open forward.

From Science News For Students

An attempt to save an endangered marsupial in Australia called the northern quoll may have put the animals at greater risk.

From Science News For Students

Scientists hope the vaccine will finally offer koala populations protection from the disease, which is recognized as the most dangerous pathogen for the marsupials.

From Popular-Science

Many semelparous organisms also experience reproductive death, like Pacific salmon and the marsupial antechinus.

From Popular-Science

Because of their unique reproductive biology and their relative rarity in laboratory settings, though, marsupials had eluded the CRISPR rush—until now.

From MIT Technology Review

There are three kinds of didelphic or marsupial animals on the coast.

From Project Gutenberg

The pelvis, it is true, is furnished with marsupial bones, but these animals possess no pouch.

From Project Gutenberg

It is digitigrade: it has five toes on the fore, and four toes on its hinder feet; its marsupial bones are simply rudimental.

From Project Gutenberg

In Australia we find marsupial forms as at the present day; but they were gigantic in comparison with the latter.

From Project Gutenberg

It was associated with correspondingly large marsupial mammals, now also extinct.

From Project Gutenberg