Crossword Dictionary
Pabulum
pabulum - n
insipid intellectual nourishment
any solid substance (as opposed to liquid) that is used as a source of nourishment
Synonyms
aliment, food, nourishment, sustenance
sentence examples
“we have reached a cultural low if reality television is regarded as pabulum for the massesâ€
“Roots deliver pabulum to the plant.â€
Did you know?
Pabulum derives from the Latin term for "food" or "fodder" and was first used in English in the 17th century for anything taken in by plants or animals to maintain life and growth. Within 30 years of its first appearance in English texts, it was also being used to refer to things so intellectually stimulating or nourishing that they could be considered food for thought. But the word took on a whole new flavor in the 1930s when a team of Canadian doctors formulated a highly nutritious (but bland) baby cereal and named their product "Pablum" (based on the Latin word). As a result, the similar-looking "pabulum" did a linguistic about-face and is now often used for things that are bland and unstimulating as well as for things that are intellectually sustaining.