bottom feeder

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bot′tom feed′er, 

1. See bottom fish. 
2. a person who functions or seeks to gain at the lowest level of an activity:
   bottom feeders who buy undervalued stocks; social bottom feeders hanging out in seedy bars.
3. a person who appeals to base instincts:
   Gossip columnists are the bottom feeders of journalism.

Also called bottom-fisher (for defs. 2, 3).
bot′tom feed′er, 

1. See bottom fish. 
2. a person who functions or seeks to gain at the lowest level of an activity:
   bottom feeders who buy undervalued stocks; social bottom feeders hanging out in seedy bars
   .
3. a person who appeals to base instincts:
   Gossip columnists are the bottom feeders of journalism
   .

Also called bottom-fisher (for defs. 2, 3).

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bottom feeder noun

1. a fish that feeds on material at the bottom of a river, lake, sea, etc
2. an objectionable and unimpressive person or thing
3. Also called: bottom fisher a speculator who buys shares in companies that are performing poorly in anticipation of improved performance