feeder
Americannoun
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feeders
plural
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a person or thing that supplies food or feeds something.
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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.
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a person or thing that takes food or nourishment.
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a livestock animal that is fed an enriched diet to fatten it for market.
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a person or device that feeds a machine, printing press, etc.
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a tributary stream.
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Electricity. Also a conductor, or group of conductors, connecting primary equipment in an electric power system.
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British. a baby's bib.
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Theater Slang. straight man.
adjective
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being, functioning as, or serving as a feeder.
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pertaining to livestock to be fattened for market.
noun
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a person or thing that feeds or is fed
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a child's feeding bottle or bib
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agriculture a head of livestock being fattened for slaughter
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a person or device that feeds the working material into a system or machine
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a tributary channel, esp one that supplies a reservoir or canal with water
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a road, service, etc, that links secondary areas to the main traffic network
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( as modifier )
a feeder bus
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a transmission line connecting an aerial to a transmitter or receiver
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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
Etymology
Origin of feeder
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at feed, -er 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Some of the dogs run directly to the feeder expecting rewards, some dogs freeze, some dogs will scratch the sample with excitement," Bitan said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
My worry for Fulham is they have become a Real Madrid feeder team, and their boss Alvaro Arbeloa has already got issues with his squad.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Cindy loves backyard wildlife, and the feeder seemed like a way to keep her connected.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
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
She went on to tell me about making a bird feeder by putting peanut butter on a pine cone and rolling it in bird seed.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
Honeybees were trained to visit the feeders, and the team monitored their behavior over several days.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
In West Texas, El Paso Electric asked homeowners served by its most crowded feeders to volunteer to have Base batteries installed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Consider using small-holed haynets or slow feeders to reduce waste and help forage last longer.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 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
“I need you to refill feeders six and seven.”
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
