food chain

noun

1

: an arrangement of the organisms of an ecological community according to the order of predation in which each uses the next usually lower member as a food source

2

: a hierarchy based on power or importance

at the top of the corporate food chain

Examples of food chain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State have traditionally been at the other end of the food chain in their respective conferences. —Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 2 June 2026

These small, soft-bodied insects are a major foundation of the food chain and help welcome essential pollinators to your garden, such as birds and ladybugs. —Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 31 May 2026

Even the subtlest of changes to their normal movement patterns can cascade through the ecosystem and food chain. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026

An unbelievably hot packet of hot sauce, cake pops from a celebrity chef, and Pop Rocks beverages are among the new items coming to fast food chains and stores. —Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for food chain

• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• blockchain
• butane
• campaign

Kids Definition

food chain

noun

: a series of organisms in which each uses the next usually lower member of the series as a food source