English Explanatory Dictionary

cannon fodder

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Military forces considered to be expendable.
  2. Any group of contestants that have no hope of success.
  3. Artillery ammunition.
  4. An expendable minor character primarily included to make the protagonist(s) stand out.

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cannon fodder.wav

Word forms

cannon fodder cannonfodder cannon-fodder

Etymology

Mid-19th century, from cannon (“artillery piece”) + fodder (“food”), a calque of German Kanonenfutter, itself possibly a calque of English food for powder. See the German for more.

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