Why does the word opossum begin with an O?

Is there a real reason, why it starts with an O,Why does the word opossum begin with an O?
Opossum is the name of the N. American marsupial, from which the word 'possum (playing 'possum meaning pretending to be dead) was taken. The animal may fall into such almost-dead state when frightened or shocked.Why does the word opossum begin with an O?
';Opossum'; is the actual word, derived (according to the American Heritage Dictionary) from an Algonquian word, ';aposoum.'; So that first syllable is a legitimate part of the word, and the common form ';possum'; is just a colloquial variant. If you're asking how the A became an O, I can't answer that. (Maybe the first person to put the word in writing was Irish? : ) )
o·pos·sum





o·pos·sum [ə póssəm, póssəm]


(plural o·pos·sums or o·pos·sum)


n


1. American marsupial: a small nocturnal tree-dwelling marsupial found in the United States and Central and South America.


It has dense fur, a long snout, and a hairless prehensile tail.





Latin name: Didelphis marsupialis


2. Australian marsupial: any one of several similar marsupials found in Australia and New Zealand.


They are mostly nocturnal plant-eating tree-dwellers, and some have prehensile tails.





Family: Phalangeridae Also called possum








[Early 17th century. From Virginia Algonquian opassom , from op “white” + assom “dog, doglike creature.”]
Yeah, It should start with an ';A';. WE took it from Powhatan (Algonquian) apasum for ';white animal.';
Because that's the name of the animal and that's how it's properly spelled....not possum...although both are accepted.
It comes from the roman ';O'possmus,'; meaning ';eater of the dead.';
because it cant start with a t

c++