Ot"ter (?), n. [OE. oter, AS.
otor; akin to D. & G. otter, Icel. otr, Dan.
odder, Sw. utter, Lith. udra, Russ,
vuidra, Gr. "y`dra water serpent, hydra, Skr.
udra otter, and also to E. water. √137, 215. See
Water, and cf. Hydra.]
1. (Zoöl.) Any carnivorous animal
of the genus Lutra, and related genera. Several species are
described. They have large, flattish heads, short ears, and webbed
toes. They are aquatic, and feed on fish. Their fur is soft and
valuable. The common otter of Europe is Lutra vulgaris; the
American otter is L. Canadensis; other species inhabit South
America and Asia.
2. (Zoöl.) The larva of the ghost
moth. It is very injurious to hop vines.
Otter hound, Otter dog
(Zoöl.), a small breed of hounds, used in England for
hunting otters. -- Otter sheep. See
Ancon sheep, under Ancon. -- Otter
shell (Zoöl.), very large bivalve mollusk
(Schizothærus Nuttallii) found on the northwest coast of
America. It is excellent food, and is extensively used by the
Indians. -- Sea otter. (Zoöl.)
See in the Vocabulary.
Ot"ter, n. A corruption of
Annotto.