feeder

/ˈfidɚ/

//ˈfidɚ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"feeder" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“feeder” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,815 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,815
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who feeds, or gives food to another.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

feeder vs fewer
67% similar
feeder vs fever
67% similar
feeder vs freer
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for feeder
PropertyValue
Headwordfeeder
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfidɚ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#15,815
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “feeder” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). feeder lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for feeder is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfidɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,815 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for feeder, with forms such as "efeder", "fedeer", and "feder". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "fewer", "fever", "freer", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English feedere, federe, fedare, equivalent to feed + -er. The correct English form is feeder, spelled F-E-E-D-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who feeds, or gives food to another.
  2. 2
    One who feeds, or gives food to another.
  3. 3
    One who feeds, or takes in food.
  4. 4
    One who, or that which, feeds material into something (especially a machine).
  5. 5
    That which is used to feed.
  6. 6
    A tributary stream, especially of a canal.
  7. 7
    A branch line of a railway.
  8. 8
    A transmission line that feeds the electricity for an electricity substation, or for a transmitter.
  9. 9
    Ellipsis of feeder school.
  10. 10
    A feeder ship.
  11. 11
    A judge whose law clerks are often selected to become clerks for the Supreme Court.
  12. 12
    The pitcher.
  13. 13
    A player whose character is killed by the opposing player or team more than once, deliberately or through lack of skills and experience, thus helping the opposing side.
  14. 14
    One who abets another.
  15. 15
    A parasite.
  16. 16
    Synonym of blower (“fissure from which firedamp issues”).

Etymology

From Middle English feedere, federe, fedare, equivalent to feed + -er.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: efeder,fedeer,feder,feedder,feederr,feedre,feeedr,ffeeder

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of feeder - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

efeder2fedeer2feder1feedder1feederr1feedre2feeedr2ffeeder1
Edit distance from "feeder"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "feeder"?
"feeder" is spelled F-E-E-D-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfidɚ/.
What does "feeder" mean?
As a noun, "feeder" means: One who feeds, or gives food to another.
What words are commonly confused with "feeder"?
"feeder" is commonly confused with "fewer", "fever", "freer". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "feeder"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "feeder" is /ˈfidɚ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "feeder"?
From Middle English feedere, federe, fedare, equivalent to feed + -er. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “feeder”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-E-E-D-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfidɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “fewer” - see the side-by-side comparison. feeder vs fewer
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list