any of several aquatic, furbearing, weasellike mammals of the genus Lutra and related genera, having webbed feet and a long, slightly flattened tail.
the fur of an otter.
any freshwater carnivorous musteline mammal of the subfamily Lutrinae, esp Lutra lutra ( Eurasian otter ), typically having smooth fur, a streamlined body, and webbed feet
the fur of any of these animals
Also called: otter board. a type of fishing tackle consisting of a weighted board to which hooked and baited lines are attached
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
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."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
The otter swim instructors say they were told to downplay the bites as “just animal things” and to offer Neosporin and a bandaid.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
The surrogate teaches the pup to groom, forage, and behave like a wild otter, Long said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
It is also an offence to disturb, damage or destroy a breeding site or resting place of an otter or obstruct their access, whether or not an otter is present.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
“No, only that which touches the island and where the otter live.”
From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell
Rey and the pup, Sunny, are making their public debut Wednesday at the Aquarium of the Pacific, where they are on view in the Sea Otter Habitat inside the Northern Pacific Gallery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
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
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
But Otter didn’t get halfway to the bottom.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
It's not just raining cats and dogs, but otters, dolphins and multiple other water-dwelling mammals.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Water voles play an important role in riverside biodiversity, providing food for species such as barn owls and otters, while their grazing helps reshape habitats and create space for rare plants, the National Trust said.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
Louisiana facility beset by escapes, health hazards and otters biting visitors is trying to put its checkered past behind it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forest ecosystems, eating sea urchins that would otherwise consume the kelp, according to the aquarium.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
With the exception of a school of otters swimming in the river, the surrounding area so far had not been full of wildlife.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
