otter
noun
ot·ter
| \ ˈä-tər
\
\
plural otters
also otter
Definition of otter
1
: any of various largely aquatic carnivorous mammals (such as genus Lutra or Enhydra) of the weasel family that usually have webbed and clawed feet and dark brown fur
2
: the fur or pelt of an otter
Illustration of otter
otter 1
Examples of otter in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the 1930s, the otters were discovered and protected. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Bears, elk, sharks crown landmark wildlife surge," 17 Aug. 2019 This interview took place between the otter feeding display and some rather lovely coral at the Oceanário de Lisboa during the Global Exploration Summit in Lisbon. — Georgia Frances King, Quartz, "Are aquariums moral? It’s complicated, says Jacques Cousteau’s grandson," 16 Aug. 2019 Much of an otter’s behavior is not instinctual but is learned by watching mom. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, "Orphaned Otter Pups Find Comfort in Cuddly Naps Together at Shedd Aquarium," 30 July 2019 The real crux of the show, which is hidden beneath all the strange kappa and otter mythological imagery, is personal and human. — Michael Moore, The Verge, "The Best Anime of 2019: an ongoing list," 16 Aug. 2019 The life expectancy of otters in captivity is around 18-20 years. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "North Carolina Aquarium Mourns Loss of Famous River Otter," 2 Aug. 2019 There are several reasons why the cooling canals of Turkey Point make for a fruitful habitat for crocs and other animals—like snakes, otters, raccoons and manatees, which have also taken up residence there, according to Swartz. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Why Florida Crocs Are Thriving Outside a Nuclear Power Plant," 23 July 2019 Because the cat may have spread the rabies to other animals, the department advised that people in the affected area avoid stray cats and dogs as well as wildlife such as raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes. — Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, "Rabies alert issued for Disney's Epcot Center after infected cat scratches performers," 11 July 2019 Birds like woodpeckers, heron, egrets, ibis, coots, ducks and osprey can be found in the park along with alligators, otters and manatees. — Patrick Connolly, orlandosentinel.com, "Florida Springs Guide: De Leon Springs State Park," 10 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'otter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for otter
otter
noun
English Language Learners Definition of otter
: an animal that has dark brown fur and webbed feet with claws and that eats fish
See the full definition for otter in the English Language Learners Dictionary
otter
noun
ot·ter
| \ ˈä-tər
\
\
Kids Definition of otter
: a web-footed animal that lives mostly in the water, feeds on fish, and has dark brown fur
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