Is it opossum or a possum?

I MUST KNOWIs it opossum or a possum?
Technically, they are separate animals with similar names. Sometimes, opossums will be referred to as possums.Is it opossum or a possum?
It should be opossum. However, so many people spelled the word wrong that either spelling is considered correct. Having an English degree, I think this is pretty sad. It's just like ';have gone'; and ';have went.'; After awhile, too many people were using ';have went,'; and now it's considered correct even though it's truly an error in grammar.





There is a ';possum'; though. The cousin of the opossum: the possum found in Australia (and introduced to New Zealand). If you look up the word ';possum,'; you find that it's considered an informal spelling of opossum. This is an educated way of saying it's spelled wrong, but who cares. We'll accept it since numberless people spell it wrong. :)
It depends on where you are... if you're in Australia, they are possums. If you're in the Americas, it's an opossum (but usually pronounced without the ';o';), while they're both marsupials, they're not the same animal.
';Opossum'; is the official spelling, derived from an Algonquian term meaning ';white beast';. ';Possum'; is just an informal shortening of the word.
I am pretty sure you write it with the O - Opossum and when you say it you drop the O. -- Possum.At least that's how we do it in my part of the country.
Both


But Australia usually uses ';possum';
'possum is a contraction of opossum.
OPOSSUM
an opossum. :)
you can use either one but it is better if you say a possum.
either
BOTH