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marsupial

[mahr-soo-pee-uhl]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

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

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

marsupial

/ mɑːˈsjuːpɪəl, -ˈsuː-, -ˌsuː-, mɑːˌsjuːpɪˈeɪlɪən /

noun

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

of, relating to, or belonging to the Marsupialia
of or relating to a marsupium

marsupial

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.

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Other Word Forms

marsupialian noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of marsupial¹

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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of marsupial¹

C17: see _marsupium

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Land clearing and urbanisation are leaving the marsupials hungry and homeless, while natural disasters are drowning or cooking them en masse.

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

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

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

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

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Marston Moor marsupial bone

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