Word of the Day

: December 10, 2009

provender

noun PRAH-vun-der

What It Means

1 : dry food for domestic animals : feed

2 : food, victuals

provender in Context

"The ambrosial and essential part of the [huckleberry] fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden)

Did You Know?

When English speakers first chewed on the word "provender" around 1300, it referred to a stipend that a clergyman received from his cathedral or collegiate church, something also known as a "prebend." A mere 25 years later, though, the word’s current meanings had developed. These days you’re most likely to encounter "provender" in articles written by food and travel writers. A few such writers confuse "provender" with "purveyor," meaning "a person or business that sells or provides something," but most of them keep the words straight, as Deidre Schipani does in this quote: "The kitchen remains true to its local roots. Buying from island farmers, fisherman, shrimpers, butchers and small local artisans keeps the provender and purveyors in alignment." (The Post and Courier, September 3, 2009)