river otter

American  

noun

1. a North American otter, Lutra canadensis, with brown and silver fur, native to streams and lakes in the U.S. and Canada.

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Etymology

Origin of river otter

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

One is a kind of tortoise last seen in 1906, the other is a river otter that scientists thought no longer existed in Argentina.

From NewsForKids.net

Earlier this month, three women in southern Montana were attacked by at least one river otter, per the Associated Press.

From Los Angeles Times

The particular subspecies involved, the northern river otter, is known to get as heavy as 20 pounds and to grow up to 47 inches in length.

From Washington Times

She refers to the duke overseeing her case as “the False Unicorn,” who “looks like an unwell river otter in a doublet.”

From Washington Post

But he didn’t cozy up to a river otter as a little kid.

From Los Angeles Times