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

Then-French President François Hollande waved away the Cuban bodyguard trailing the two leaders and the moment became fodder for the country’s late-night comedians. —Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026

And his one moment in the national spotlight became fodder for opponents. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026

Plenty of others haven’t engaged with the book at all, instead using its premise — and ironically, Hathaway’s role as a female producer on the film — as fodder for the ever-raging American culture wars. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026

But a game like Saturday night’s 12-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals provided more fodder for anyone who says these are the same Angels who have not had a winning season in a decade. —Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 26 Apr. 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