nutria

noun

nu·​tria ˈnü-trē-ə 

ˈnyü-

1

: the durable usually light brown fur of a nutria

2

: a large South American semiaquatic rodent (Myocastor coypus) with webbed hind feet and a round nearly hairless tail that has been introduced into parts of Europe, Asia, and North America

Examples of nutria in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to canines that are family pets, the parasite can also latch on to raccoons, marsh rabbits, dogs, horses, nutria, bobcats, mountain lions, opossums, and other mammals. —Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024

Read more→ Shown in coast $335 at Away Shown in scout tan $395 at Paravel Thule Aion Carry-On Spinner Wheeled Luggage Shown in nutria $350 at Thule $350 $262 at REI Weekenders Our favorite duffels, expandable totes, and garment bags to take on overnighters or use as a personal item. —Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2023

And as with the smaller S-series Saturns, the plastic body panels are attached with lots of room to expand in the heat, meaning that in the winter a nutria (see glossary) could practically squeeze through the door gaps. —Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 15 July 2023

Even with 1,500 nutria no longer breeding and eating in south Plaquemines, Hogue-Manuel said the rodeo’s body count doesn’t make a lasting dent in the state’s ever-growing nutria population. —Chron, 7 Mar. 2021

When the fur trade collapsed in the 1940s, thousands of nutrias got loose or were set free. —Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2023

In Yanagihara’s dark vision of the future, our descendants will be stuck at home cooking dog, horse, and raccoon, in addition to nutria meat, tofu, and tempeh. —Rebecca Panovka, Harper's Magazine, 9 Dec. 2021

Owning a nutria hasn’t been free of challenges. —Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2023

The nutria, or coypu (Myocastor coypus), is a semi-aquatic rodent native to South America. —Marisa Sloan, Discover Magazine, 15 Oct. 2021

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from American Spanish, from Spanish, "otter," altered (with n of uncertain origin) from Latin lutra — more at otter

Note: Joan Coromines (Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico, 1981) suggests that Greek énydris "otter" may have been the source of the n in nutria; he notes dialectal forms such as lóndriga that maintain l.

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nutria

noun

nu·​tria ˈn(y)ü-trē-ə 

: a South American rodent that lives in or near water, has webbed feet and a nearly hairless tail, and has been introduced into the U.S. along the Gulf Coast and in the Pacific Northwest

called also coypu