forage

1 of 2

noun

for·​age ˈfȯr-ij How to pronounce forage (audio)
ˈfär-
1
: food for animals especially when taken by browsing or grazing
The grass serves as forage for livestock.
2
[forage entry 2] : the act of foraging : search for provisions
They made forages to find food.

forage

2 of 2

verb

foraged; foraging

transitive verb

1
: to strip of provisions : collect forage from
2
: to secure by foraging
foraged a chicken for the feast

intransitive verb

1
: to wander in search of forage or food
2
: to secure forage (as for horses) by stripping the country
3
4
: to make a search : rummage
forager noun

Examples of forage in a Sentence

Noun The grass serves as forage for livestock. Verb The cows were foraging in the pasture. He had to forage for firewood.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
These unnatural structures miles out into the Gulf create concentrated ecosystems that include a wide variety of forage species. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 7 Mar. 2024 There were signs of growth in the production of durum wheat, corn for silage, and several forage crops — an increase that matches that of the dairy industry in the past decades. The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024 During fieldwork at Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, spanning several weeks, the photographer focused on documenting the behavior of these crab-eating macaques and their water forages. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 It can be seen swimming and scurrying, and is so adept at using tools—to, say, forage for food or floss its teeth—that its own intelligence is a hot topic of academic study. Erika Fry, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2024 But there’s a reason Texas A&M’s AgriLife Extension touts the bluegill as the most common forage fish stocked in southern farm ponds. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 11 Jan. 2024 Matthew Hancock’s family has used groundwater to grow forage crops here for more than six decades. Anita Snow and Thomas MacHowicz, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Nov. 2023 Add to that the novelty of observing this (imaginary) nomadic species forage, feed, fart and fornicate in their natural habitat for a year without uttering a single word. Peter Debruge, Variety, 20 Jan. 2024 This was by design, allowing anglers to lean on it regardless of what kind of forage was making a commotion on the surface. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
Verb
These creatures don’t follow climate cues to start foraging, but instead depend on day length, which does not change during false springs. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Mar. 2024 The leaves of young plants are tasty in stir fries and salads (outdoors educator Jason Wise offers many classes for foraging invasive weeds, complete with recipes), and the flowers can make a lovely fabric dye. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Selection appears to be acting on bee genes associated with social structure, reproduction, and foraging, per the study. Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024 While the mother stays inside the nest feeding her chicks and lining the dwelling with her own feathers, the father is out foraging for his growing family. Devin Farmiloe, Scientific American, 14 Feb. 2024 To find out more about cactus foraging and how to eat the plants around you, feel free to check out Cactus Kelly online. Katrina Michalak, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024 Onshore wind turbines severely deter German bats from foraging. Elizabeth Barber, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 Share [Findings] Onshore wind turbines severely deter German bats from foraging. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 Rosa sat on a grassy patch, foraged for cassava and smiled. Bishop Sand, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from fuerre, foer fodder, straw, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German fuotar food, fodder — more at food

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forage was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near forage

Cite this Entry

“Forage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forage. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forage

1 of 2 noun
for·​age ˈfȯr-ij How to pronounce forage (audio)
ˈfär-
1
: food (as pasture) for browsing or grazing animals
2
: a search for food or supplies

forage

2 of 2 verb
foraged; foraging
1
2
: to make a search especially for food or supplies
forage for grain
forage for firewood
3
: to get by foraging
forager noun

More from Merriam-Webster on forage

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