bottom feeder

American  

[bot-uhm fee-der] / ˈbɒt əm ˌfi dər /

Sometimes bottom-fisher or bottom-feeder

noun

1. bottom fish.

2. an opportunist, as in politics or business.

   bottom feeders who buy up commercial failures.

3. a person or thing having low status or value; loser.

   bottom feeders hanging out in seedy bars.

4. a person who appeals to base instincts.

   Gossip columnists are the bottom feeders of journalism.

---

bottom feeder British  

noun

1. a fish that feeds on material at the bottom of a river, lake, sea, etc

2. an objectionable and unimpressive person or thing

3. Also called: bottom fisher.  a speculator who buys shares in companies that are performing poorly in anticipation of improved performance

---

Etymology

Origin of bottom feeder

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bottom feeder

In Weidman’s novel, the main character, a garment industry climber named Harry Bogen, is an impenitent snake, a moral bottom feeder who knows no bottom.

From New York Times ● Oct. 30, 2023

The Buffalo Sabres drafted Rasmus Dahlin with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 and they are still a bottom feeder.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 15, 2022

“We’re like this entertainment-industry bottom feeder, and as such we have a ton of creative freedom to really define what the American pub quiz actually is.”

From The Guardian ● Mar. 5, 2020

A bottom feeder pretends to be a fearsome shark slayer after the son of a finned hoodlum meets an accidental death.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2019

When this program gains control, it is powerful enough to load the actual OS and hand control over to it. :bottom feeder: /n./

From The Jargon File, Version 4.0.0, 24 Jul 1996 by Raymond, Eric S.