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

Even his beloved rallies become debate fodder, with Harris mocking them as full of odd digressions and so boring his supporters often leave early. —Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2024

Rather, the trio use their astute observations as fodder for their abductive reasoning. —Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 7 Sep. 2024

The show has plenty of juicy fodder for Sheridan to turn into a compelling TV series. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2024

And Zaslav’s missteps have been fodder for Hollywood’s vicious media scene. —Peter Green, Quartz, 17 Aug. 2024

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

Kids Definition

fodder

noun

fod·​der ˈfäd-ər 

: coarse dry food (as cornstalks) for livestock