possum

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 Related terms 1.3.3 See also 2 Latin 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Verb 2.2.1 Inflection 2.2.2 Derived terms 2.2.3 Related terms 2.2.4 Descendants

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Corruption of opossum, from Algonquian wapathemwa.

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: pŏs'əm, IPA: /ˈpɒsəm/, SAMPA: /"pQs@m/
• Rhymes: -ɒsəm

[edit] Noun

possum (plural possums)

1. Any of marsupials in several families of the order Diprotodontia of Australia and neighboring islands.
2. (colloquial) Popular form for the opossums, the marsupials of the family Didelphidae of the Americas

[edit] Derived terms

• play possum
• ring-tail possum

[edit] Related terms

• opossum

[edit] See also

• Diprotodontia
• Didelphidae

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[edit] Latin

[edit] Etymology

pot- 'able' + sum, ‘I am’’

[edit] Verb

present active possum, present infinitive posse, perfect active potuī. (irregular; no passive)

1. I am able; I can.

   Tunc, modo edere non potuit.

   At that time, he just could not eat.

   Possum Latine loqui.

   I can speak Latin.

   Potesne mihi succurrere, quaeso?

   Can you help me please?

   Si probare possemus Ligarium in Āfricā omnino non fuisse.

   If we could prove that Ligarius was not at all in Africa.

[edit] Inflection

This verb is irregular. It has no passive forms, except for the third-person singular present in the indicative and subjunctive moods.

[edit] Derived terms

• multum posse
• possibilis
• potens
• potentia
• potentialis

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Descendants

• English: in posse