Do you say an opossum or a opossum?

Do you say an opossum or a opossum?

Most Americans pronounce their native marsupial as a two-syllable word (possum) but—at least until very recently—write it as a three-syllable word (opossum). The Ngram evidence suggests that popular awareness of this inconsistency may have led to a significant level of avoidance of the phrase “an opossum” in writing.

How do you use opossum in a sentence?

Opossum sentence example

1. There are 3 species of opossum .
2. The opossum (Didelphis) is represented by three or four species, two of which are so small that they are generally called wood rats.
3. The opossum of America is the only species out of Australasia which is thus provided.

Is opossum plural or singular?

It can be either “opossum,” i.e., identical with the singular on analogy with many other words for animals which have the same form in the singular and the plural, or a regularized “opposums” (but not a Latinate *”opossi” since the “-i” plural ending is generally used for only for nouns that end in “-us,” e.g., ” …

Is the O silent in the word opossum?

The O in “opossum” is spelled but not pronounced. It is a silent letter, just like the H in the word “honest.” The articles “a” and “an” are correctly based on the first pronounced letter, not simply the first letter.

Why is possum spelled opossum?

The possum (scientific name: Phalangeridae) was given its name because of its resemblance to the opossum of the Americas. Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied the great English explorer Captain James Cook, likened the furry creature he saw in Australia to “an animal of the Opossum tribe.”

Why do they call possum opossum?

In North America, the animal officially called an opossum is a white and gray marsupial of the order Didelphimorphia. English colonists living in Jamestown derived the word from its equivalent in Powhatan, a language spoken by the Virginia Algonquian tribe.

What’s the plural of opossum?

The plural form of opossum is opossums.

How do you say opossum plural?

Does New Zealand have possums?

Possums are nocturnal and can live anywhere where there is shelter and a varied food supply. They are now widespread across most of New Zealand. The main habitat is forest, and possum densities can be particularly high in podocarp-broadleaf forests.

Do opossums and possums look the same?

Opossums have pointed white faces and coarse fur, whereas possums have rounded bodies with a thick golden or brown coat. The opossums of North America typically have pointed white faces with black eyes and jagged teeth.

Are opossums and possums related?

The American possums are actually called opossums, scientific name, Didelphimorphia. But our Australian possums are (scientific name) Phalangeridae. Both are marsupials, but that’s about it. Other than that, they are not really related at all.

What do possums eat and are they dangerous?

Vegetables – Like fruit, possums can also eat veggies in relatively small quantities. Despite their image is completely harmless, cute, and sheltered, some possum species can be quite dangerous for animals around them. For example, brushtail possums enjoy deriving protein from bird eggs and small lizards.

How do you spell opossum?

Correct spelling for the English word “opossum” is [əpˈɒsəm], [əpˈɒsəm], [ə_p_ˈɒ_s_ə_m]] (IPA phonetic alphabet).

How to spell opossum or oposum?

Sometimes writers will misspell opossum as opposum or oppossum. This mistake has arisen doubtless from the influence of the word opposite. Opossum is the correct spelling. Opposum is an incorrect spelling. Oppossum is an incorrect spelling.

How do you keep possums away from Your House?

Hot Stuff. Mixing fresh garlic bits in water and spraying around a garden area helps keep possums away. Hot peppers or hot sauce — the hotter the better — mixed with a little water and dish soap and applied to plants the possum finds tasty also repels the possum. Hot mustard mixed with a little water and dish soap works as well.