A marsupial is an animal such as a kangaroo or an opossum. Female marsupials carry their babies in a pouch on their stomach.
marsupial in British English
(mɑːˈsjuːpɪəl, -ˈsuː-)
noun
1.
any mammal of the order Marsupialia, in which the young are born in an immature state and continue development in the marsupium. The order occurs mainly in Australia and South and Central America and includes the opossums, bandicoots, koala, wombats, and kangaroos
adjective
2.
of, relating to, or belonging to the Marsupialia
3.
of or relating to a marsupium
Derived forms
marsupialian (mɑːˌsjuːpɪˈeɪlɪən, -ˌsuː-) or marsupian (marˈsupian)
noun, adjective
Word origin
C17: see marsupium
marsupial in American English
(mɑrˈsupiəl)
adjective
1.
of or like a marsupium, or pouch
2.
of a superorder (Marsupialia) of mammals that lack a placenta and have an external abdominal pouch (marsupium) containing the teats: the incompletely developed offspring nurses within this pouch for several months after birth to complete its development
noun
3.
an animal of this kind, as a kangaroo, opossum, or wombat