sea otter

noun

1. a marine otter, Enhydra lutris, of the shores of the northern Pacific, with a very valuable fur: now greatly reduced in number and rare in many areas.

sea otter

noun

1. a large marine otter, Enhydra lutris, of N Pacific coasts, formerly hunted for its thick dark brown fur

Word History and Origins

Origin of sea otter¹

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

The proposed sanctuary will protect over 200 shipwrecks, along with a diverse ecosystem featuring wildlife such as sea otters, humpback whales, leatherback sea turtles and lush kelp forests.

From Salon

She outlived the life expectancy for wild southern sea otters.

From Los Angeles Times

Rosa, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s oldest sea otter and one of its social media stars, died Wednesday, the aquarium said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

She said there were no immediate plans to capture 841, and she asked the public to be “extra cautious when recreating around sea otters.”

From Los Angeles Times

The other is the sea otter, which was wiped out of Oregon waters by fur trappers more than 100 years ago.

From Science Daily