Otter Meaning
/ˈɒt.ə/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae.
nounAn aquatic or marine carnivorous mammal in the subfamily Lutrinae., The flesh or fur of this animal
Sentence Examples
The otter was playing in the river.
The air trapped in the fur of a sea otter helps it to float.
The sea otter swam through the kelp forest.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The playful ____ is a mammal that lives in rivers and eats fish.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The playful ____ floated on its back in the river, cracking open a shellfish on its chest.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"'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."
— 1960, Scott O'Dell, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Puffin Books, page 11:
"[…] the precious perfume called otter of roses."
— 1809, William Jones, A Grammar of the Persian Language, page 8:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The playful ____ is a mammal that lives in rivers and eats fish.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The playful ____ floated on its back in the river, cracking open a shellfish on its chest.