noun, plural ot·ters, (especially collectively) ot·ter.
- 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.
noun
- (in the Volsunga Saga) a son of Hreidmar, who assumed the form of an otter when fishing, and who was killed by Loki while in that form.
noun plural -ters or -ter
- 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
verb
- to fish using an otter
n.Old English otr, otor “otter,” from Proto-Germanic *otraz (cf. Old Norse otr, Swedish utter, Danish odder, Dutch otter, Old High German ottar, German Otter), from PIE *udros, literally “water-creature” (cf. Sanskrit udrah, Avestan udra “otter;” Greek hydra “water-serpent,” enydris “otter;” Latin lutra, Old Church Slavonic vydra, Lithuanian udra, Old Irish odoirne “otter”), from root *wed- “water” (see water (n.1)). Sea otter attested from 1660s, also known as sea-ape.