feed

UK: fiːd | US: fiːd

Definition

  1. vt. to give food to a person, animal, or plant

  2. vi. (of an animal) to eat

  3. n. food given to livestock or other animals

Structure
fee <food (Old English "fēdan") + d<verb-forming suffix>
Etymology

The word "feed" originates from Old English fēdan, derived from fōda (food). The root fee- preserves the core meaning of nourishment, while the -d suffix marks it as a verb. Over time, the term expanded from literal sustenance to broader contexts like data "feeding" into systems, retaining its foundational logic of supplying something essential.

Examples

  1. She feeds her cat twice a day.

  2. The conveyor belt feeds raw materials into the machine.

  3. Cows feed on grass in the pasture.

  4. This app provides an RSS feed for news updates.

  5. He stopped to feed coins into the parking meter.