feeder

American  

[fee-der] / ˈfi dər /

noun

• feeders
  plural

1. a person or thing that supplies food or feeds something.

2. a bin or boxlike device from which farm animals may eat, especially such a device designed to allow a number of chickens to feed simultaneously or to release a specific amount of feed at regular intervals.

3. a person or thing that takes food or nourishment.

4. a livestock animal that is fed an enriched diet to fatten it for market.

5. a person or device that feeds a machine, printing press, etc.

6. a tributary stream.

7. bird feeder.

8. feeder line.

9. feeder road.

10. Electricity. Also a conductor, or group of conductors, connecting primary equipment in an electric power system.

11. British. a baby's bib.

12. Theater Slang. straight man.

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adjective

1. being, functioning as, or serving as a feeder.

2. pertaining to livestock to be fattened for market.

feeder British  

/ ˈfiːdə /

noun

1. a person or thing that feeds or is fed

2. a child's feeding bottle or bib

3. agriculture a head of livestock being fattened for slaughter

4. a person or device that feeds the working material into a system or machine

5. a tributary channel, esp one that supplies a reservoir or canal with water

6. 1. a road, service, etc, that links secondary areas to the main traffic network

   2. ( as modifier )

      a feeder bus

7. 1. a transmission line connecting an aerial to a transmitter or receiver

   2. a power line for transmitting electrical power from a generating station to a distribution network

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• feeders
  plural

Etymology

Origin of feeder

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at feed, -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

feeder feeders

On Monday, the September contract for feeder cattle FCU26 — those that are fattened up for slaughter — fell 2.8% to end at $3.32 per pound in Chicago.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

Two traps that Soto set up outside his home — vertical, clear cylinders reminiscent of a hummingbird feeder — were filled with dead flies within days, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

The wait list is also used as a “soft no” or a “pat on the back” to maintain relationships with counselors at feeder schools, the college’s donors and legacy families, consultants said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

Over 16 million households are thought to put out food on a regular basis, with an estimated one bird feeder for every nine birds that use them.

From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026

I fill the feeder to the brim and the seeds spill out on the ground.

From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon

When bird feeders open for business, as every amateur naturalist quickly learns, other critters often show up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

Honeybees were trained to visit the feeders, and the team monitored their behavior over several days.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

This includes things such as unsecured garbage cans, fallen fruit, bird feeders, pet food left outside and uncleaned grills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026

“International sales complement the domestic market, maximizing the value of every animal and providing incentive for ranchers and cattle feeders to expand their operations,” the U.S.

From Barron's ● May 12, 2026

We lifted the covers and filled the feeders with sugar water.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

Related Words

• grower
• laborer
• peasant
• producer
• rancher