fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfä-dər 

1

: something fed to domestic animals

especially : coarse food for cattle, horses, or sheep

2

: inferior or readily available material used to supply a heavy demand

fodder for tabloids

This sort of breezy plot line has become cheap fodder for novelists and screenwriters …

—Sally Bedell

fodder transitive verb

Examples of fodder in a Sentence

His antics always make good fodder for the gossip columnists.

She often used her friends' problems as fodder for her novels.

Recent Examples on the Web

The former top-50 recruit became social media fodder for playing at four high schools in four years before eventually signing with Georgia. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 24 July 2026

The article became fodder for questions Wednesday before the Fever’s 123-88 victory against the Connecticut Sun. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

From the fragmented breakup anthems to the formulaic moodboard fodder, nothing on Steve Lacy’s new album seems to come naturally. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 22 July 2026

For a few hours, the disappearance was fodder for office jokes, Mélanie Brinbaum, Nestlé’s European head of marketing and consumer communications, tells Fortune. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English fōdor; akin to Old High German fuotar food — more at food

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fodder

• cannon fodder

Rhymes for fodder

• broader
• dodder
• odder
• solder
• marauder

Kids Definition

fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfäd-ər 

: coarse dry food (as cornstalks) for livestock