Where does “Opossum” come from?
Opossum (German) comes from English opossum, from Powhatan aposoum, from Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-aʔθemwa.
Opossum (German): an opossum of the genus Didelphis
Definitions
- an opossum of the genus Didelphis
Ancestry of “Opossum”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | opossum | Any American marsupial of the family Didelphidae.... |
| 2 | Powhatan | aposoum | white animal |
| 3 | Proto-Algonquian | *wa·p-aʔθemwa | — |