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” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,815. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,815
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - One who feeds, or gives food to another.

Corpus desk

Index EN-feeder · feeder · English

feeder · rank #15,815 · 8 variants · 18 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #15,815
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 18 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH extremist

Nearest frequency peer: extremist (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “feeder”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “feeder” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “feeder”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).feederlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “extremist” (#15,814), “flashlight” (#15,816), “excavation” (#15,813). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “feeder” is #15,815. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around feeder (IPA /ˈfidɚ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #15,815 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 16 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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”).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how feeder appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Often similes such as 'soft as velvet' or 'fluffy like a cloud' will be employed and the feeder will describe how he feels he can be lost in the enveloping folds of soft flesh.
  2. The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder, Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day More than the wild-cat; […]

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "feeder", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Dorset#15,806dialog#15,799crowns#15,792Levine#15,852

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

immoral8 variantscocks8 variantsLyons8 variantsapplaud8 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list