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 bureau wants answers to protect our food chain. —Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers — a popular fast food chain with locations across the country — has closed a Kansas City location. —Jenna Thompson march 4, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026

National Egg McMuffin Day is Monday, March 2, and for the whole day, the fast food chain is offering $1 Egg McMuffins and $1 Sausage McMuffins with Egg to customers who place an order through the McDonald's mobile app. —Greta Cross, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026

That could lead to a local or regional collapse of ocean food chains. —Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 27 Feb. 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