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; 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

Example Sentences

In a later interview with the conservative podcast “Ruthless,” Mr. McCarthy, who is 58, poked fun at Mr. Biden, adding to the caricature that the oldest president ever to serve in office is doddering.

From New York Times

But "daddy brain" isn't really a neologism in the same way, which attests to the way that "mommy brain" can sometimes evoke a sexist stereotype of the doddering, forgetful new mother.

From Salon

Like frogs boiling in water, America has been lulled into accepting incomprehensible gibberish from a doddering old coot shuffling behind a podium bearing the White House seal.

From Washington Times

Opponents who have portrayed him as doddering no doubt are wishing they hadn’t lowered the bar so far.

From Washington Post

She credulously absorbed the Republican attacks on the Democratic ticket, in which Mr. Biden was portrayed as doddering and Ms. Harris as a left-wing extremist.

From New York Times