# feeder

/ˈfidɝ/ (US) · /fˈiːdɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/feeder
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. animal food container

noun · CEFR A2

a container or device that holds food for animals or birds.

For teachers: a container or apparatus designed to provide food for animals, particularly birds or livestock.

- We hung a bird feeder in the garden to attract woodpeckers and finches.
- The farmer refilled the automatic cattle feeder before the winter storm made the outer pastures inaccessible.

### 2. machine part

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a part of a machine that moves material into it.

For teachers: a component of a mechanical system that supplies raw material or parts for processing.

- The paper feeder on the printer is jammed again.
- The assembly line came to a halt when the primary feeder failed to deliver the silicon wafers to the robotic arm.

### 3. preparatory school

noun · CEFR B2

a school that sends many of its students to a specific higher-level school or university.

For teachers: an educational institution that regularly prepares and sends students to a more prestigious or higher-level institution.

- This primary school is a feeder for the best high school in the city.
- The university maintains strong ties with several local feeder colleges to ensure a steady stream of qualified applicants for its engineering programme.

### 4. tributary or branch

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a smaller stream, road, or power line that joins a larger one.

For teachers: a tributary stream, branch railway line, or transmission line that supplies a main system.

- The small stream acts as a feeder for the main canal.
- The regional power grid relies on several high-voltage feeders to distribute electricity from the substation to the surrounding suburbs.

### 5. gaming slang

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a player who dies many times in a game, which helps the other team win.

For teachers: a player who repeatedly allows their character to be killed by the opposition, thereby providing the opponents with experience or gold.

- Our team lost because one player was a feeder and kept giving the enemy points.
- The community often reports players who act as intentional feeders, as it ruins the competitive balance of the match.

### 6. mining gas fissure

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a crack in a mine that lets out dangerous gas.

For teachers: a fissure or crack in a coal seam from which explosive gas, such as firedamp, escapes.

- The miners had to leave the tunnel because of a gas feeder.
- Safety inspectors identified a significant feeder in the western shaft, necessitating an immediate upgrade to the ventilation system.

## Examples

- I filled the bird feeder with seeds this morning.
- The local bus acts as a feeder for the main train station, bringing commuters from the suburbs.
- The minor league team serves as a feeder for the national squad, ensuring that young talent is systematically developed and evaluated before reaching the professional level.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.