marsupial

/mɑ:'sju:pjəl/

Thân thiện

A mother kangaroo carries her joey in her marsupial pouch.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A type of mammal whose females typically have a pouch (called a marsupium) on their abdomen. In this pouch, the mother carries and nurses her underdeveloped young after they are born.

2. Adjective:

   • Relating to or characteristic of marsupials.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The kangaroo is a well-known marsupial from Australia.
  • Opossums are the only marsupials found in North America.
• Adjective:
  • The marsupial pouch provides a safe environment for the tiny newborns.
  • Scientists study marsupial reproduction to understand early mammalian development.

Advanced Usage

• "marsupial fauna": Refers to the community of marsupial species in a particular region.
  • Australia's marsupial fauna is incredibly diverse, including koalas, wombats, and Tasmanian devils.
• In a broader biological context, "marsupial" can be used to describe the reproductive strategy itself.
  • The marsupial mode of reproduction contrasts with that of placental mammals.

Variants and Related Words

• Marsupium (n): The technical term for the abdominal pouch in female marsupials.
• Metatheria (n): The scientific infraclass that includes all marsupials.

Synonyms

• Pouched mammal (n): A descriptive synonym.
• (There are no direct single-word synonyms for the noun; the term is specific to this biological group.)

Related Phrases

• Marsupial mole: A specific burrowing marsupial species.
• Marsupial lion (Thylacoleo): An extinct carnivorous marsupial.

Related Idioms

• (There are no common idioms specifically featuring the word "marsupial.")

Học thuật

Adjective

1. of or relating to the marsupials
   • marsupial animals

Noun

1. mammals of which the females have a pouch (the marsupium) containing the teats where the young are fed and carried

Từ đồng nghĩa

• pouched mammal