often attributive
1
: one that feeds: such as
a
: one that fattens livestock for slaughter
b
: a device or apparatus for supplying food
2
: one that eats or takes nourishment
especially
: an animal being fattened or one suitable for fattening
3
a
: one that supplies, replenishes, or connects
c
: a heavy wire conductor supplying electricity at some point of an electric distribution system (as from a substation)
d
: branch
especially
: a branch transportation line
e
: a road that provides access to a major artery
Synonyms
Examples of feeder in a Sentence
a pigeon feeder holding a bag of stale bread
the lake has several feeders that have their headwaters near the Canadian border
Recent Examples on the Web
Starting around 2010, the migrants would pay a feeder about sixteen hundred dollars to travel from Sudan to the north coast of Africa.
—
Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
The city aims to attract climate migrants, seeing them as a feeder of the economy, rather than a drag on it.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2023
The innovative bird feeder features an integrated camera that connects to the accompanying app to show video footage of birds eating at the feeder.
—Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
His late-career resurgence has been instrumental in the Diamondbacks’ leap from bottom feeders to title contenders.
—Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2023
Also, go for feeders with red parts to attract birds instead of nectar with red dye.
—WIRED, 20 Oct. 2023
These smokers are super efficient and rely upon a feeder to feed the pellets from a hopper to the combustion chamber.
—John Sass, Field & Stream, 27 Sep. 2023
Over the great operatic journey that is Mr. Chow’s life, can anything top the overture performed by this supremely self-confident, mildly abrasive, quasi-pugnacious but likable impresario-artist-actor and feeder of the elite?
—John Anderson, WSJ, 19 Oct. 2023
But a fault in the feeder line of the sprinkler system caused water to cascade over many of the batteries, damaging them.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2023
See More
Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
The city aims to attract climate migrants, seeing them as a feeder of the economy, rather than a drag on it.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2023
The innovative bird feeder features an integrated camera that connects to the accompanying app to show video footage of birds eating at the feeder.
—Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023
His late-career resurgence has been instrumental in the Diamondbacks’ leap from bottom feeders to title contenders.
—Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2023
Also, go for feeders with red parts to attract birds instead of nectar with red dye.
—WIRED, 20 Oct. 2023
These smokers are super efficient and rely upon a feeder to feed the pellets from a hopper to the combustion chamber.
—John Sass, Field & Stream, 27 Sep. 2023
Over the great operatic journey that is Mr. Chow’s life, can anything top the overture performed by this supremely self-confident, mildly abrasive, quasi-pugnacious but likable impresario-artist-actor and feeder of the elite?
—John Anderson, WSJ, 19 Oct. 2023
But a fault in the feeder line of the sprinkler system caused water to cascade over many of the batteries, damaging them.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'feeder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of feeder was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing feeder
Dictionary Entries Near feeder
Cite this Entry
“Feeder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feeder. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
feeder
noun
feed·er
ˈfēd-ər 
1
: a device for supplying food
bird feeder
b
: a branch (as of a river or a transportation system) that supplies or connects to another
2
: one that eats
especially
: an animal being fattened or suitable for fattening
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