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

In addition, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California will create the Food and Beverage Operational Optimization and Deployment Center to support technological innovations across the entire supply food chain. —Rhett Buttle, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026

The Sith, led by Darth Sidious (aka Emperor Palpatine) and Darth Vader, sit at the top of the food chain, but Maul still dares to build a criminal empire in the shadows. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Ambitious political hacks are always looking to move up the food chain, and being mayor of Los Angeles is the next step up the ladder. —John Phillips, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026

Fast food chain Wendy's faced backlash after announcing a similar move in February 2024. —Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 20 Jan. 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