From Vulgar Latin *nutria or *lutria / *lutrea, from Latin lutra 'otter'. The Spanish word, preserving the -t-, may have arrived through the intermediate of either Mozarabic or more likely a Southern Italian language or dialect: cf. Salerno dialect (of Neapolitan) nùtria, Calabrian ùtria and lùtria, utre in Basilicata, etc. The Vulgar Latin form was likely influenced by Ancient Greek ἐνυδρίς 'otter'.