A small tree-dwelling marsupial from Australia and nearby regions, famous for playing dead when threatened.
From Powhatan (a Native American language) 'aposoum,' meaning 'white animal.' European colonists borrowed the word when they encountered the American opossum, then applied it to similar Australian animals.
When a possum plays dead, it goes into an involuntary state called 'tonic immobility'—their body literally shuts down like a computer in sleep mode. It's not a choice; it's an amazing survival trick that happens automatically!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.