Definition of nutria in US English:
nutria
nounˈn(y)o͞otrēəˈn(j)utriə
1A large semiaquatic rodent resembling a beaver, native to South America. It is kept in captivity for its fur and has become naturalized in many other areas.
Myocastor coypus, the only member of the family Myocastoridae
Example sentencesExamples
- Originally from South America, the nutria has devastated thousands of acres of wetlands along the U.S. Gulf Coast with its voracious appetite and prolific mating habits.
- Hurricane Katrina dealt a blow to the nutria, the invasive rodent species that plagues the Gulf states.
- ‘When nutria eat in an area, the ground just turns to mud,’ says Miller.
- Hurricane Katrina's path of destruction dealt at least a temporary setback to the nutria, the South American rodent species that is devouring wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico, according to experts.
- A South American rodent, the nutria escaped or was released into the wild from pens.
- 1.1 The pelt of the nutria.
Example sentencesExamples
- McCartney admitted he used to wear fur in his early years of career, ... and he said, 'It's nutria'.
- One of the blond models came out wearing a coat made of something called ‘nutria,’ and Miss Castle described her coat as ‘every woman's coat, because it covers all unnatural protuberances.’
- Extremely poor prices for nutria pelts have resulted in very little trapping activity.
- My favorite piece of wearing apparel is my 3/4 length nutria coat that I bought at the Red, White, and Blue Thrift Store for $9.95.
- Nutria fur never really caught on, and after a few escaped into the Louisiana swamp, they bred like crazy and are now ravaging wetlands around the country.
Origin
Early 19th century: from Spanish, literally ‘otter’.