forager
UK: ˈfɒr.ɪ.dʒər | US: ˈfɔːr.ɪ.dʒɚ
n. 1. A person or animal that searches widely for food or provisions.
n. 2. Someone who collects or gathers resources, often in a systematic way.
The word "forager" stems from the Old French "forrage" (fodder, provisions), derived from "fuerre" (straw), which traces back to the Frankish *fōdar (food for livestock). The suffix "-er" denotes an agent performing the action, creating a term for one who gathers food or resources. The evolution reflects a shift from livestock provisioning to broader resource collection.
The squirrel is a skilled forager, storing nuts for winter.
Ancient humans lived as hunter-gatherers and foragers.
Bees act as foragers, collecting pollen from flowers.
The chef became a forager of rare herbs in the forest.
Modern foragers often seek wild edible plants sustainably.