otter
nounnounnounattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈɒt.ə//
- United States//ˈɑtɚ//
- United States/[(ʔ)ɑɾɚ]/
An aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
noun
- 1
An aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
- 2
An aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 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 which we can use.
- 3
slangA hairy man with a slender physique, in contrast with a bear, who is more thickset.
Etymology
From 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.
noun
- 1
obsoleteannatto (dye)
Etymology
Corruption of annotto.
noun
- 1
Variant of attararchaicArchaic form of attar.
[…] the precious perfume called otter of roses.
Forms
- plural
- otters
otter · An aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
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