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• otter
  otter

  noun

  any of several aquatic, furbearing, weasellike mammals of the genus Lutra and related genera, having webbed feet and a long, slightly flattened tail.
• Otter
  Otter

  noun

  (in theVolsunga Saga ) a son of Hreidmar, who assumed the form of an otter when fishing, and who was killed by Loki while in that form.

otter

¹ American  

[ot-er] / ˈɒt ər /

noun

• otters,
  plural
• otter
  plural

1. any of several aquatic, furbearing, weasellike mammals of the genus Lutra and related genera, having webbed feet and a long, slightly flattened tail.

2. the fur of an otter.

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Otter ² American  

[ot-er] / ˈɒt ər /

noun

1. (in theVolsunga Saga ) a son of Hreidmar, who assumed the form of an otter when fishing, and who was killed by Loki while in that form.

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otter British  

/ ˈɒtə /

noun

1. any freshwater carnivorous musteline mammal of the subfamily Lutrinae, esp Lutra lutra ( Eurasian otter ), typically having smooth fur, a streamlined body, and webbed feet

2. the fur of any of these animals

3. Also called: otter board. a type of fishing tackle consisting of a weighted board to which hooked and baited lines are attached

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verb

1. to fish using an otter

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• otter
  plural
• otters
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of otter

before 900; Middle English otter, oter, Old English otor, ottor; cognate with Dutch, German otter; compare Greek hýdra water serpent ( see hydra), Sanskrit udra- otter; akin to water

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Explanation

Otters are mammals that live in and near the water. If you're lucky enough to see a group of these animals together, you can refer to them as a "romp of otters." In North America, otters can be found in parts of the Pacific Ocean and in rivers all across the continent. But otters aren't as common as they once were — many otter species are considered endangered today: they were hunted for their fur when settlers first came to North America, and since then they have been threatened by pollution and climate change. The root of the word otter, appropriately enough, means "water creature."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

otter Otter otters

With its short fur and broad, flattened tail, Megacauda sungei would have looked somewhat like a modern otter, beaver, or platypus.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Officials say otter attacks on people are uncommon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

The center’s veterinarian believes the otter should be well enough to be released into the wild in seven to 10 days.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

While fishing a canal, I spot an otter as it emerges from the water and climbs onto the opposite bank, clutching a writhing iguana in its paws and then diving back in.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Suddenly Winifred the otter broke the quiet: “Look, Jess has made it over the gutter! She’s on the roof.”

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Using highly sensitive gravity measurements collected by BAS' Twin Otter aircraft and others, researchers detected an unusual signal beneath the glacier.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 18, 2026

Dave Webb, of the UK Wild Otter Trust, told BBC Scotland News that the animals condition meant they could not have been left to fend for themselves.

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

“There’s rapid development in quantum computing, and I think it’ll be here sooner than expected,” Otter said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025

Otter flipper tags are designed to last an animal’s lifespan, but research shows they don’t always last so long.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2025

Otter after otter dove into the shallows, and when they popped up, they were grinning.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Now you can put Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss” on your wall, or if you’re into animals, some cute floating sea otters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

"I cant believe that even with all the health concerns and the fact there are otters in this river as well, it's still deemed minor," Irvine said.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

River otters are native predators and found in Lake Tahoe and connected waterways all the way down to Pyramid Lake via the Truckee River, Margiott said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

The lakes region Mr. Hoffman describes as “magnetic and mercurial” is home to bears, wolves, badgers, otters and a surprising variety of other creatures, yet their ways of life are being threatened.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Ferrets had cornered a band of shrews and were threatening to massacre them when a column of otters sprang to the rescue.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

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