I. ˈdädə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English doder; akin to Middle Low German doder, dodder dodder, Middle High German toter dodder, yolk, Old High German totoro yolk, Old Saxon dodro, Old English dydring yolk, Norwegian dudra to tremble, Greek thyssetai to tremble, thysanos tassel, Sanskrit dodhat- shaking, ragging, Latin fumus smoke — more at fume
: any of certain plants comprising the genus Cuscuta with seeds that germinate and produce elongated seedlings which come in contact with stems of a suitable host plant and which obtain nourishment through haustoria — called also love vine
II. intransitive verb
( doddered ; doddered ; doddering -äd(ə)riŋ ; dodders )
Etymology: alteration of earlier dadder, from Middle English dadiren
1. : to tremble or shake (as from weakness or age) : become enfeebled
we … have no excuse for ignoring a sick and doddering church school — Iva Kilpatrick
in the pulpit a doddering priest was preaching — Bruce Marshall
2. : to progress feebly and unsteadily
an old man doddering down the walk