Emily Dickinson Lexicon

OT'TER, n.¹ [Sax. oter, otor, or otter; G. otter, an otter, an adder or viper; D. otter; Sw. utter. The Latin lutra, Fr. loutre, It. lontra, Sp. nutria, may possibly be the same word varied in dialect.]

Digitigrade carnivorous mammals, of the genus Lutra, of which about nine species are described. They all have large flattish heads, short ears, webbed toes, crooked nails, and tails slightly flattened horizontally. They are aquatic, and feed on fish.