{ Cot"ter, Cot"tar } (k?t"t?r), n. [LL. cotarius, cottarius, coterius. See Cot.] A cottager; a cottier. Burns.

Through Sandwich Notch the West Wind sang
Good morrow to the cotter.
Whittier.

Cot"ter (k&obreve;t"t&etilde;r), n. 1. A piece of wood or metal, commonly wedge- shaped, used for fastening together parts of a machine or structure. It is driven into an opening through one or all of the parts. [See Illust.] In the United States a cotter is commonly called a key.

2. A toggle.

Cot"ter, v. t. To fasten with a cotter.

• a pin inserted through a slot to hold parts together; it may be wedge-shaped, or half-round wire that is doubled on itself and spread after being inserted through the slot.
  
• a peasant farmer who performed labour in exchange for the right to live in a cottage.