marsupial

Meanings

Noun

• A mammal of which the female has a pouch in which it rears its young, which are born immature, through early infancy, such as the kangaroo or koala, or else pouchless members of the Marsupialia like the shrew opossum.

Adjective

• Of or pertaining to a marsupial.
• Of or relating to a marsupium.

Origin

• From Latin ("pouch, purse"), from Ancient Greek μαρσύπιον or μαρσύππιον, variants of μαρσίππιον, diminutive of μάρσιππος; with English -al.