What's the difference between "Opossum" and "Possum"?

'Possum is the common nickname for an Opossum in the American south and midwest.

However, a Possum is also a completely different animal in Australia.

The American "Opossum", North America's only marsupial, is a ground-dwelling nocturnal creature about the size of cat with a rat-like tail and a nasty disposition.

The Australian/New Zealand "Possum" is a tree-dwelling nocturnal marsupial about the size of a squirrel with odourous musk glands.

The name "opossum" is Anglicized from the the Algonquin "wapathemwa". The English settlers, having never seen one before, just accepted what the Indians told them to call it. The Australian "possum" was named for the American "opossum" because they *faintly* resemble each other.

The two species are, in fact, related, but not closely. Opossums are of the order "Didelphimorphia", while Possums are of the order "Diprotodontia".

possum is spelt wrong- it should always be opossum. People are just too lazy to say that first o.

As for it being another animal- they are still marsupials in the didelphidae- therefore still opossums with a common name of possum in one species. All other didelphids are called opossums, whether you are in the US, Austraila or S. Amer (few if any species in other parts of the world)

great question madhavi:) yOU know though these words sound synonimous but still there lies a "deep" difference !! Happiness can be found of things which may not even be beneficial to our spiritual or psychological aspect like we may go out & have our favourite dish & clothes etc., we would feel happy. But satisfaction comes from a kind of achievent, if we get good grades in studies we would get a positive feeling that says "hard word paid off" now thats more beneficial isn't it ;p[ Now peace.... I think it depends on what attitude we adopt towads the "activities" we do for "happiness" or either "satisfaction", peace actually exist in our self, it just has to be found by us. A person of ignorance might feel peace while a hard worker could be strresed. It can be even oposite to that . So peace needs to found by us.

Opossum is Oppressed

Possum is Possessed

A possum is a redneck opossum.

Possum is the more common name.

They are the same animals, just two different ways of spelling.

an O.

Southern folks dropped the O to conserve energy.

an "o".