otter

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) An aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
2. (uncountable) An aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
3. (countable, slang, uncountable) A hairy man with a slender physique, in contrast with a bear, who is more thickset.

Synonyms

Eurasian otter

European otter

Eurasian river otter

beaver

🦫

sea otter

civet cat

Lutra

lutra

common otter

old world otter

European river otter

crepuscular

nutria

paravane

Translations

loutre

🦦

nutria

🦦

lontra

🦦

Otter

🦦

Lutra

otter

lontra

🦦

llúdria

🦦

ενυδρίδα

lutr

Fischotter

Lutra lutra

βίδρα

loira

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɒt.ə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: oter

Inherited from Old English: otor

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Otter

Cognate with Dutch: otter

Cognate with German: Otter

Cognate with Swedish: utter

Cognate with Norwegian: oter

Cognate with Icelandic: otur

Cognate with Sanskrit: उद्र

Cognate with Russian: вы́дра

Cognate with Ancient Greek: ὕδρα

In summary

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.