fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfä-dər How to pronounce fodder (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This move sparked internet fodder, with many onlookers saying LoRosa brought professionalism to the role that Moore didn’t. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 19 Mar. 2025 Sheep, pigs, and cattle grazed under the trees and harvested their own fodder—a practice known as silvopasture, derived from Latin and meaning forest feeding. Ben Seal, JSTOR Daily, 19 Mar. 2025 The debate over whether Favre took a dive in 2001 has generated much fodder over the years. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Mar. 2025 There were headlines and talk-show fodder for weeks and weeks to come. Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fodder

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of fodder was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fodder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fodder. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

fodder

noun
fod·​der ˈfäd-ər How to pronounce fodder (audio)
: coarse dry food (as cornstalks) for livestock

More from Merriam-Webster on fodder

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