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
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
Avoiding these common hummingbird feeder mistakes to encourage hummers to spend more time in your yard.
—
Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026
Limited airlift and the absence of a nearby mass-market feeder improve the quality of tourism revenue without increasing dependence on tourism itself.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Tomato plants are heavy feeders, but too much nitrogen early in the season will promote big leafy plants with few fruits.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
And, like hamsters at a drip feeder, everyone lined up to suck down some of the dopamine being rationed out by their NFL overlords.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for feeder
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026
Limited airlift and the absence of a nearby mass-market feeder improve the quality of tourism revenue without increasing dependence on tourism itself.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Tomato plants are heavy feeders, but too much nitrogen early in the season will promote big leafy plants with few fruits.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
And, like hamsters at a drip feeder, everyone lined up to suck down some of the dopamine being rationed out by their NFL overlords.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for feeder
Cite this Entry
“Feeder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feeder. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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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