nutria Hear it!

nutria definition

☆ nu·tria (no̵̅o̅′trē ə, nyo̵̅o̅′-)

noun

  1. the only member (Myocastor coypus) of a family (Myocastoridae) of South American water-dwelling rodents with webbed feet and a long, almost hairless tail; coypu
  2. its short-haired, soft, brown fur, often dyed to look like beaver

Etymology: Sp < L lutra, otter, altered (with l- after lutum, mire) < IE *udros, water animal: see otter

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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