dodder

1 of 2

noun

dod·der ˈdä-dər

: any of a genus (Cuscuta) of wiry twining vines of the morning-glory family that are highly deficient in chlorophyll, are parasitic on other plants, and have tiny scales instead of leaves

dodder

2 of 2

verb

doddered; doddering ˈdä-d(ə-)riŋ

intransitive verb

: to tremble or shake from weakness or age

: to progress feebly and unsteadily

was doddering down the walk

dodderer

ˈdä-dər-ər

noun

Examples of dodder in a Sentence

Verb was doddering down the walk outside the nursing home

Recent Examples on the Web

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Noun

In North America, Cuscuta campestris (sometimes called the field dodder or golden dodder) is particularly fond of alfalfa. —Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 9 Jan. 2018

In early September 2021, the NHU is filming a predator just as vicious—the dodder—using technology that didn’t exist back in 2018. —Stephen Armstrong, Wired, 2 Dec. 2021 The dodder, Cuscuta europaea, a k a strangleweed or the devil’s hair, is a parasitic plant. —Stephen Armstrong, Wired, 2 Dec. 2021 The one weed seed the feds found was dodder, a parasitic plant that climbs up unsuspecting regular plants and sucks the life out of them. —Paul Eisenberg, chicagotribune.com, 18 July 2021 Conseulo De Moraes of Penn State University planted a young dodder near a tomato plant and continuously filmed the pair for several days. —Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2021 Botanists had wondered about the dodder’s strategy for timing reproduction. —Theresa MacHemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2020 Once the dodder has a tight grip on its host, the anchoring root withers away. —Theresa MacHemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2020 Without the host’s flowering signal, neither the host nor the dodder flowered. —Theresa MacHemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2020

Verb

Probably quite poorly, conjuring images of Trump doddering around on a golf course. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 21 July 2024 Jim Westwood, co-author and professor at Virginia Tech examines dodder. —Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 9 Jan. 2018 Tel Aviv University biologist Daniel Chamovitz discusses dodder and many other fascinating plants in his upcoming book, What A Plant Knows, an excerpt from which appears in the May issue of Scientific American. —Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2021 The Dodgers appeared to dodder in the first two games, running up huge pitch counts against Atlanta starters Max Fried and Ian Anderson, but failing to score a run in 14 of the first 15 innings. —Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2020 Last, the researchers created a green fluorescent version of the flowering signal chemical, which provided visual evidence that dodder plant tissues can absorb the chemical and direct it to their flowering mechanisms. —Theresa MacHemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2020 As for pests, experts have identified a tiny wasp, two noxious weeds (water spinach and dodder) and a larval seed beetle. —Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2020 The pale, curvy pillars of Phil Charlwood’s set variously represent forest trees; the cottage of the wise, doddering Sami Finn Woman (an amusing Anna Lynch); and, helped by frosty lighting designed by Doug Del Pizzo, the Snow Queen’s castle. —Celia Wren, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2019 Cassidy took control when the Bruins were doddering along at 26-23-6, both feet firmly planted on a path to a third consecutive DNQ. —BostonGlobe.com, 23 Nov. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English doder; akin to Middle High German toter dodder, egg yolk

Verb

Middle English dadiren

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of dodder was in the 13th century

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Style

“Dodder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dodder. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

dodder

verb

dod·der

ˈdäd-ər

doddered; doddering

-(ə-)riŋ

: to tremble or shake from weakness or age

: to go in a shaky or feeble way

dodder

noun

verb

Synonyms

Examples of dodder in a Sentence

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dodder

noun

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Kids Definition

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