pabulum

noun

pab·u·lum ˈpa-byə-ləm

Synonyms of pabulum

: food

especially : a suspension or solution of nutrients in a state suitable for absorption

Roots deliver pabulum to the plant.

: intellectual sustenance

pabulum for consideration and reflection

: something (such as writing or speech) that is insipid, simplistic, or bland

wrote pabulum that was intended to offend no one

Did you know?

Pabulum derives from the Latin term for "food" or "fodder" and was first used in English in the 17th century for anything taken in by plants or animals to maintain life and growth. Within 30 years of its first appearance in English texts, it was also being used to refer to things so intellectually stimulating or nourishing that they could be considered food for thought. But the word took on a whole new flavor in the 1930s when a team of Canadian doctors formulated a highly nutritious (but bland) baby cereal and named their product "Pablum" (based on the Latin word). As a result, the similar-looking "pabulum" did a linguistic about-face and is now often used for things that are bland and unstimulating as well as for things that are intellectually sustaining.

Examples of pabulum in a Sentence

we have reached a cultural low if reality television is regarded as pabulum for the masses

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

This was culture as interchangeable primetime pabulum; three minutes apiece for the acts to impress the new judges and boost sales. —Mike McCahill, Variety, 8 May 2023 Twitter account, which spouted pabulum about the decency of the human spirit, became extremely popular. —New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021