opossum rat
- noun
- /əˈpɑsəm ræt/
- US
:
rata marsupial
- Unlike true rats, the opossum rat is a marsupial and carries its young in a pouch.
Examples
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The opossum rat is found primarily in the grasslands of southern South America.
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Scientists are studying how the opossum rat adapts to its environment and diet.
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The opossum rat is often found in the forests of Argentina.
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Many opossum rats live in burrows to escape predators.
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The opossum rat is found primarily in the grasslands of southern South America.
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Unlike true rats, the opossum rat is a marsupial and carries its young in a pouch.
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Many opossum rats live in burrows to escape predators.
Synonyms
A small animal like a mouse that eats insects and carries its young in a pouch
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'opossum rat' is a descriptive noun-noun combination: a learner who knows 'opossum' (a marsupial) and 'rat' (a small rodent) can plausibly infer it names a small animal resembling an opossum/rats-like creature. This kind of compositional animal naming is cross-linguistically common, so the overall meaning is derivable from the constituents for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Opossum rat comes from its mixed look: it looks like a small rat but, like an opossum, it has a pouch to carry its babies. So the name tells you it is a tiny, shrew-like 'marsupial' rather than a true rodent.
