sea otter

noun

: a rare marine otter (Enhydra lutris) of the northern Pacific coasts that may attain a length of six feet (two meters), is chiefly brown but with lighter coloration on the back of the head and neck, and feeds largely on shellfish

Examples of sea otter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Marilyn Heiman, who at the time worked for the Alaska State Legislature, told USA TODAY in 2014 that the spill was responsible for the deaths of 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles and billions of salmon and herring eggs. —Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025

The duo has ventured into a kelp forest, an underwater area dense with brown algae that supports vast swaths of marine life like sea otters and whales. —Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 1 Feb. 2025

Chanel Hason, a spokesperson for sea otter advocacy group Elakha Alliance, said the status of the grant was also unclear as of Tuesday afternoon. —Kale Williams, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025

Elkhorn Slough researchers find sea otter population helps stop invasion of green crabs DEAR L.: The main issue with giving a pet as a gift at the holidays is that most households are in chaos at this time of the year with lots of visitors and out-of-town trips. —Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sea otter

• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater
• granddaughter
• groundwater
• headwater

Kids Definition

sea otter

noun

: a large marine otter of northern Pacific coasts that feeds mostly on shellfish (as clams, crabs, and sea urchins) and can grow to nearly six feet (two meters) in length