feeder: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral, but with technical senses in specific domains.
Quick answer
What does “feeder” mean?
A person or thing that supplies or provides food or other resources.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person or thing that supplies or provides food or other resources.
A device or system that conveys materials into something else; a subsidiary road, railway line, or institution that channels things toward a main one.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Broadly similar, though 'feeder road' is common in AmE; 'feeder school' is used in both. In birdwatching, 'bird feeder' is universal.
Connotations
Similar connotations. Can be neutral (device) or slightly negative in institutional contexts (e.g., a feeder company seen as subordinate).
Frequency
Similar frequency. Slightly more common in technical/industrial AmE contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “feeder” in a Sentence
feeder for + [noun] (a feeder for the main airport)feeder to + [noun] (a feeder to the university)feeder of + [noun] (a major feeder of talent)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “feeder” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a standard verb. The verb is 'feed'.
American English
- Not applicable as a standard verb. The verb is 'feed'.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- The feeder canal brings water to the main reservoir.
- They attended a prominent feeder school.
American English
- The feeder line connects to the interstate.
- It's a feeder fund for the larger investment pool.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
A smaller company that supplies components or services to a larger corporation.
Academic
A preparatory school that sends many students to a particular university.
Everyday
A container for providing food to birds or pets.
Technical
A secondary electrical line or a device that supplies material to a machine.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “feeder”
- Using 'feeder' to mean a person who eats a lot (correct: 'big eater').
- Confusing 'feeder' (noun) with 'to feed' (verb).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is common in specific contexts (gardening, industry, education) but less frequent in general daily conversation than the verb 'feed'.
Yes, but usually in a specific role (e.g., 'a feeder of information'), not generally as 'someone who eats'. For that, use 'eater'.
A 'supplier' is general. A 'feeder' often implies a direct, channeling function into a larger, primary system (e.g., a feeder pipe, a feeder school).
Yes. A 'feeder club' or 'feeder team' is a smaller club that develops players for a larger, parent club.
A person or thing that supplies or provides food or other resources.
Feeder is usually neutral, but with technical senses in specific domains. in register.
Feeder: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfiː.dər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfiː.dɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “feeder team/fund/school (a subordinate entity that supplies a larger one)”
- “on the feeder circuit (participating in minor events leading to major ones)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bird FEEDER: it FEEDs birds. A person who FEEDs is a FEED-er.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANISMS ARE MACHINES / SYSTEMS ARE ORGANISMS (A 'feeder' supplies nourishment/resources to keep a larger system functioning.)
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'feeder' LEAST likely to be used?