river otter
1
2.5
- noun
- /ˈrɪvər ˈɑːtər/
- US
:
nutria de río
- They wrote that being able to look straight into the eyes of wild elk or observe a family of river otters at play was among their most significant experiences.
- a giant river otter
- river otter tracks
- a live river otter
Examples
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I was refreshed by the physical labor and surprised to find a set of river otter tracks etched sharply in a patch of silt.
Fiction book (1998) -
And these are our river otters.
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Two river otters are already slotted for the exhibit, with three more to move in later.
Academic text (1995) -
A major attraction of the new pavilion is a live river otter habitat, complete with underwater viewing.
Academic text (1995) -
Elk and mountain lions are nearby in the woods, as are coyotes, beavers, river otters, and black-tailed deer.
Academic text (2009) -
We were down at the visitors' center, working on a display that featured two river otters (fresh from the taxidermist) sunning themselves on rocks (although otters rarely did this in the wild).
Fiction book (1998) -
PHOTOS: Both river otters, left, and dippers, below, seem to thrive during winter in Yellowstone, as long as open water—and the fish and insects that live in it—can be found.
Academic text (1991) -
In the early morning, we spotted a playful river otter sliding down a muddy bank into the water.
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The river otter is known for its agile swimming and playful antics as it hunts for fish along the shoreline.
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While kayaking, we were delighted to see a river otter swimming alongside us, diving and surfacing with ease.
Synonyms
35
1.0
A small animal with fur and webbed feet that lives in rivers and eats fish
A North American otter that lives in rivers and lakes and is often found in groups
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'river otter' is transparently composed from 'river' (a watercourse) and 'otter' (a semi-aquatic mammal), so its meaning—an otter associated with rivers—is directly derivable from the constituents. This kind of noun-noun composition is cross-linguistically common and follows ordinary English compounding patterns, making it readily understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
River otter is a plain picture name: an otter that lives in a river or by the water and often slides into the river to swim and play. So river otter means the playful animal you can find along rivers and lakes.