fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfä-dər 

1

: something fed to domestic animals

especially : coarse food for cattle, horses, or sheep

2

: inferior or readily available material used to supply a heavy demand

fodder for tabloids

This sort of breezy plot line has become cheap fodder for novelists and screenwriters …

—Sally Bedell

fodder transitive verb

Examples of fodder in a Sentence

His antics always make good fodder for the gossip columnists.

She often used her friends' problems as fodder for her novels.

Recent Examples on the Web

In recent years, Delon’s decline followed a stroke and a reported bout with cancer, and earlier in 2024, his state of affairs became tabloid fodder as his children argued with each other in court over their father’s guardianship and his estate. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2024

Create peace | Regional conflict | Immediate cease-fire | Naked aggression Opinion: Largest prisoner exchange since Cold War becomes fodder for U.S. partisan brawl Opinion: Biden drags Supreme Court into politics ahead of election Abcarian: Supreme Court is out of control. —Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2024

School lunches are becoming fodder for partisan politics with the selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — an ardent supporter of free school lunch programs — as Kamala Harris' running mate, Food Fix's Helena Bottemiller Evich pointed out. —Tina Reed, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024

His trial has become fodder for social media, as it has been livestreamed and witnesses on the stand appear uninterested, uncooperative or combative at times. —Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English fōdor; akin to Old High German fuotar food — more at food

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fodder

• cannon fodder

Kids Definition

fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfäd-ər 

: coarse dry food (as cornstalks) for livestock