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

Over a century earlier sea otters, another key urchin predator, were extirpated by the fur trade, leaving the system precariously reliant on sea stars alone. —Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026

Keep an eye out for puffins, sea otters, and humpback whales. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026

The Aquarium of the Pacific joined the Monterey Bay Aquarium's surrogacy program in 2020 and has helped rehabilitate and prepare 10 releasable sea otter pups for release back into the wild since 2024, according to Long. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026

The best way to experience this national park is from the water, and there are plenty of cruise tours available to take in the scenery and wildlife (think seals, sea lions, sea otters, puffins, orcas, whales, and eagles). —Dave Parfitt, USA Today, 9 May 2026

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