/ˈɒt.ə/, /ˈɑtɚ/, [(ʔ)ɑɾɚ]
OriginFrom Middle English oter, otir, otur, otyre, from Old English otor, from Proto-West Germanic *otr, from Proto-Germanic *utraz, from Proto-Indo-European *udrós (“aquatic, water-animal”), from Proto-Indo-European *wed- (“water”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Otter, Dutch otter, German Otter, Swedish utter, Norwegian oter, Icelandic otur, Sanskrit उद्र (udrá), Russian вы́дра (výdra), and Ancient Greek ὕδρα (húdra, “water snake”). Doublet of Hydra and hydra. More etymology under English water.
- countable, uncountableAn aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
- uncountableThe flesh or fur of this animal
“'The Aleuts come from a country far to the north,' he said. 'Their ways are not ours nor is their language. They have come to take otter and to give us our share in many goods which they have and whic”
- countable, slang, uncountableA hairy man with a slender physique, in contrast with a bear, who is more thickset.
- obsolete, uncountableannatto (dye)
- A river with its source in the Blackdown Hills, Somerset, and which flows through Devon, to Lyme Bay in the English Channel.
Formsotters(plural) · otter(plural)