To feed an animal or person by placing food directly in their hand or mouth by hand.
Compound word from 'hand' (Old English 'hand') and 'feed' (Old English 'fēdan,' meaning to nourish). Created in modern English to describe the specific action of manual feeding, distinct from using tools or containers.
Handfed birds and animals often become so tame they lose their natural fear of humans, which is why wildlife experts often warn against handfeeding wild animals—you're not being kind, you're creating dependent creatures that can't survive on their own.
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