Otter
/ˈɒt.ər/noun
A semiaquatic carnivorous mammal with a long body, webbed feet, and dense fur.
Did you know?English *otter* comes from an ancient Indo-European root for the animal, and its relatives spread through Germanic and Slavic languages long before anyone wrote it down.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*udrós / *udén-
“Associated with water; the animal’s name is often linked to an ancient water-related root, though the exact preform is debated.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*otraz
“Otter.”
Old English
English
otor / otr
“Otter.”
Middle English
English
otir / oter
“Otter.”
Modern English
English
otter
“Otter.”