dodder

¹ American  

[dod-er] / ˈdɒd ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to shake; tremble; totter.

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dodder ² American  

[dod-er] / ˈdɒd ər /

noun

1. a leafless parasitic plant, Cuscuta gronovii, having dense clusters of small, white, bell-shaped flowers on orange-yellow stems that twine about clover or flax.

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dodder ¹ British  

/ ˈdɒdə /

verb

1. to move unsteadily; totter

2. to shake or tremble, as from age

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dodder ² British  

/ ˈdɒdə /

noun

1. any rootless parasitic plant of the convolvulaceous genus Cuscuta , lacking chlorophyll and having slender twining stems with suckers for drawing nourishment from the host plant, scalelike leaves, and whitish flowers

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Other Word Forms

• dodderer
  noun
• doddery
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dodder¹

First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of dadder “to shake, tremble,” of expressive origin; cf. dither, totter, teeter, etc.

Origin of dodder²

1225–75; Middle English doder; cognate with Dutch, Danish dodder, Middle Low German dod ( d ) er, Middle High German toter, German Dotter

Explanation

When you dodder, you walk in a shaky or trembling way. You're most likely to see older people dodder, moving slowing and unsteadily. People usually dodder because of illness, disability, or the fragility of very old age. Your great Aunt Martha may dodder over to you, but then give you a powerful bear hug when she gets there. The verb dodder dates from the 1600's, and it's thought to have probably come from the Middle English daderen, "to quake or tremble."

Example Sentences

“As e-bikes proliferate, they pose a threat to sensitive wildlife in some of the most fragile areas along the Bay,” said Matthew Dodder, executive director of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 3, 2023

“We have provided a good habitat for the crows and they’re now making use of it,” Dodder said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2022

There are also concerns that a laser could blind a crow, said Matthew Dodder with the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2022

“They just get sloppy and clumsy,” Dodder said.

From Washington Post • Oct. 4, 2018

"Dod will be known as Dodder, or even Dodderer!"

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 98, February 8, 1890 by Various