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

Later this year, the zoo is preparing to open a North American exhibit that will feature black bear cubs and sea otters and building a Mexican wolf exhibit, which will open to the public next year. —Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Sep. 2025

My first day on the water was mostly spent looking for bears and other wildlife, eventually making do with a gaggle of sea otters floating across the water and the occasional bald eagle overhead. —Robert Annis, Outside, 5 Sep. 2025

And because sea urchins eat kelp, the big growth in the urchin population caused a decline in kelp forests along California’s coast, which are key habitats for sea otters, fish and other species. —Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2025

Kayakers get a shot at seeing sea lions, harbor seals, and California sea otters, which, once on the brink of extinction, are now thriving. —Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025

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