cannon fodder
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
An expendable minor character primarily included to make the protagonist(s) stand out.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “cannon fodder” mean?
An expendable minor character primarily included to make the protagonist(s) stand out.
Is “cannon fodder” formal or informal?
cannon fodder is generally slang.