Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

dodder

/ˈdɑdɚ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.68 in modern English

Syllables: dod-der
IPA: /ˈdɑdɚ/

9

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To shake or tremble as one moves, especially as of old age or childhood; to totter.

Intransitive verb

noun

Any of about 100–170 species of yellow, orange or red (rarely green) parasitic plants of the genus Cuscuta. Formerly treated as the only genus in the family Cuscutaceae, it is now placed in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae.

Countable; Uncountable

name

A river in Dublin, Ireland, a tributary of the Liffey.

Example Sentences

"Yossarian responded to the thought by slipping away stealthily from the police and almost tripped over the feet of a burly woman of forty hastening across the intersection guiltily, darting furtive, vindictive glances behind her toward a woman of eighty with thick, bandaged ankles doddering after her in a losing pursuit."
"Their neighbours have been, on one side, an old man who dodders around in his dressing gown talking to himself, and on the other a stand-offish couple who pretend not to understand the Spanish he speaks."

Etymology

Early 17th century, variant of dialectal dadder, from Middle English daderen (“to quake, tremble”), ultimately from the root of dither. Compare Norwegian dudra (“to tremble”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: daderen, doder, *doder, *dodr, an

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈdɑdɚ/
British English: /ˈdɒdə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

dodders (present, singular) doddering (participle, present) doddered (participle, past) doddered (past) dodders (plural)

Derived Forms

doddard dodderer doddering doddery

Phrases

buttonbush dodder Chilean dodder clover dodder common dodder compact dodder cusp dodder European dodder field dodder

Synonyms

angel hair devil's guts devil's hair devil's ringlet goldthread hailweed hairweed hellbine love vine pull-down strangleweed witch's hair

Rhymes With

fodder solder odder modder moder nodder bodder

Questions

How do you pronounce dodder?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈdɑdɚ/.
What does dodder mean?: To shake or tremble as one moves, especially as of old age or childhood; to totter.
Where does dodder come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce dodder

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “dodder”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈdɑdɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “dodder”.
Repeat and practice — Say “dodder” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.