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

The new offerings come as fast food chains across the country continue to roll out new strategies to entice customers and double down on lower cost options. —Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026

Restaurant Brands International is a food chain comprised of Popeye’s Chicken, Burger King, Tim Hortons Donuts and Firehouse Subs. —Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026

Low on the food chain, sardines don't accumulate mercury and other toxins to the extent that tuna may. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2026

Not through explosions, but through slow, invisible leakage into marine ecosystems and food chains. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 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