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

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 • Aug. 4, 2023

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 • Dec. 8, 2022

Now we get it: Gov. Gavin Newsom was first inspired to fight climate change and protect the environment by his childhood pet — Potter, the river otter.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 12, 2020

His father once had a river otter as a pet, he said.

From Washington Post • Dec. 16, 2018

Most of the best river otter comes from Canada and the United States and averages 36 � 18 in. in size.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various