A possum is a small to medium-sized marsupial (a mammal that carries its babies in a pouch) with grayish fur, a pointed snout, and a long, hairless tail. The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial native to North America, and while it's properly called an opossum, most people simply call it a possum.

Possums are famous for playing possum, a clever survival trick where they pretend to be dead when threatened. When a possum feels scared, it might fall over on its side, close its eyes, stick out its tongue, and even release a bad smell to convince predators it's already dead and not worth eating. Since many predators only want to hunt live prey, this act can save the possum's life. The animal isn't consciously deciding to do this: it's an involuntary response, like fainting from fear.

You might see a possum waddling through your backyard at night, since they're nocturnal creatures that search for food after dark. They eat almost anything: insects, fruits, small animals, and even garbage. Despite their somewhat scraggly appearance and habit of hissing when cornered, possums are actually helpful animals that eat thousands of ticks and other pests.

When someone accuses you of playing possum, they think you're pretending to be asleep or unaware to avoid something you don't want to do.