marsupial lion

noun

Meaning

An extinct, large, carnivorous marsupial that lived in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch, resembling a lion in size and predatory habits.

Examples

  • The marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex, was one of Australia's largest-ever mammalian predators.
  • Fossil evidence suggests the marsupial lion had incredibly powerful jaws capable of crushing bone.

Synonyms: thylacoleo, carnivorous marsupial