dodder

¹

[ dod-er ]

verb (used without object)

1. to shake; tremble; totter.

dodder

²

[ dod-er ]

noun

1. a leafless parasitic plant, Cuscuta gronovii, having dense clusters of small, white, bell-shaped flowers on orange-yellow stems that twine about clover or flax.

dodder

¹

/ ˈdɒdə /

noun

1. any rootless parasitic plant of the convolvulaceous genus Cuscuta , lacking chlorophyll and having slender twining stems with suckers for drawing nourishment from the host plant, scalelike leaves, and whitish flowers

dodder

²

/ ˈdɒdə /

verb

1. to move unsteadily; totter
2. to shake or tremble, as from age

Derived Forms

• ˈdodderer, noun
• ˈdoddery, adjective

Other Words From

• dodder·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dodder¹

First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of dadder “to shake, tremble,” of expressive origin; dither, totter, teeter, etc.

Origin of dodder²

1225–75; Middle English doder; cognate with Dutch, Danish dodder, Middle Low German dod ( d ) er, Middle High German toter, German Dotter

Word History and Origins

Origin of dodder¹

C13: of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch, Middle Low German dodder, Middle High German toter

Origin of dodder²

C17: variant of earlier dadder; related to Norwegian dudra to tremble

Example Sentences

“As e-bikes proliferate, they pose a threat to sensitive wildlife in some of the most fragile areas along the Bay,” said Matthew Dodder, executive director of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society.

From Seattle Times

There are also concerns that a laser could blind a crow, said Matthew Dodder with the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society.

From Los Angeles Times

“We have provided a good habitat for the crows and they’re now making use of it,” Dodder said.

From Los Angeles Times

Dodder thinks Sunnyvale’s approach goes too far.

From Los Angeles Times

The supporting cast gets to dodder about as magnified versions of Ibsen’s melodramatic figures, with Jamie Smithson a particular hoot as Hedda’s Olympian-grade nerd of a husband.

From Washington Post