possum

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "possum" is the everyday word for the opossum - a scruffy marsupial known for sneakin’ into henhouses and grinnin’ with a mouth full of teeth.

#Appalachia #Animals #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I didn't know 'possum' had a 'o' on the front of it 'til I was full grown. That 'o' is silent pretty much universally around here.

Pronunciation

[PAH-sum] or [POSS-um]

Meaning & Usage

- A marsupial found in North America (noun)

Mae:

Somethin’s been at the henhouse.

Earl:

Just a possum nosin’ around.

other spellings: opossum, critter, varmint, roadkill, and grinnin’ possum (showing all teeth)

★ Possums are famous for their defense trick of keelin’ over and lookin’ dead - which gave rise to the saying "playin’ possum." ★

Origin

From the Powhatan word *apasum* (white animal). English settlers shortened "opossum" to "possum," and the clipped form stuck, especially in the South and Appalachia.

Notes

The clipped form "possum" is heard everywhere in the U.S., but it’s especially common in Appalachian and Southern speech. In Australia, "possum" refers to a different animal altogether.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "pah-sum" or "poss-um," never with the "o-."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "possum" the same as "opossum"?

Yes - in the U.S., "possum" is the everyday form.

Do people still eat possum?

In Appalachia and the South, yes - it was once a survival food, sometimes baked with sweet potatoes.

What about "playin’ possum"?

That’s a separate saying for pretendin’ to be asleep or dead - see our entry here.