food chain en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From food + chain.
Meanings
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The feeding relationships between species in a biotic community.
Nanomaterials, substances broken down by technology into molecule-size particles, are starting to enter the food chain through well-known food products and their packaging, but there is little acknowledgment by the companies using them, according to a new report from a nonprofit group that works to enhance corporate accountability.
2013 February 6, Stephanie Strom, “Study Looks at Particles Used in Food”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 08 Jun 2019:
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(idiomatic) A hierarchy.
At the top of the food chain is PJ's, whose pizza wins high accolades, and whose menu of fat sandwiches (a local delicacy that stuffs as many deep-fried items into a roll as possible) is extensive.
2012, Renee Pires, Day Trips from Philadelphia, page 43:He, too, was a meat puppet. Unable to make any decision without imagined repercussions from above, he chose to make none and instead passed his decision onto the next guy up the food chain.
1998, Luke Sullivan, "Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This": A Guide to Creating Great Ads, page 164:Finding realistic needle-moving signings is especially hard when clubs do not want to sell at this stage of a campaign, while you are eternally at the mercy of those with bigger teeth and sharper claws further up the food chain.
2026 February 3, Glenn Speller, “Championship transfer window winners and losers”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 04 Feb 2026:With my promotion this month I will continue my steady journey to the top of the food chain.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| food chains | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Relateds
Translations (73)
ko 먹이 사슬 (feeding relationship between species) · pa ਖੁਰਾਕ ਲੜੀ (feeding relationship between species) · lv barības ķēde (feeding relationship between species) · es cadena alimentaria (feeding relationship between species) · fi ravintoketju (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · el τροφική αλυσίδα (feeding relationship between species) · id rantai makanan (feeding relationship between species) · da hakkeorden (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · cmn 等級制度 /等级制度 (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · io nutriva kateno (feeding relationship between species) · da fødekæde (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · be харчовы ланцуг (feeding relationship between species) · gd sreath-bìdh (feeding relationship between species) · gl cadea trófica (feeding relationship between species) · es cadena manducatoria (feeding relationship between species) · uk харчовий ланцюжок (feeding relationship between species) · tr besin zinciri (feeding relationship between species) · sh lanac ishrane (feeding relationship between species) · ca cadena tròfica (feeding relationship between species) · sh ланац исхране (feeding relationship between species) · ga slabhra bia (feeding relationship between species) · pt cadeia alimentar (feeding relationship between species) · cmn 營養鏈 /营养链 (feeding relationship between species) · eo nutroĉeno (feeding relationship between species) · es cadena trófica (feeding relationship between species) · uk харчовий ланцюг (feeding relationship between species) · ru пищева́я цепь (feeding relationship between species) · be ланцуг харчавання (feeding relationship between species) · cmn 階層 /阶层 (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · is fæðukeðja (feeding relationship between species) · sw mzunguko wa chakula (feeding relationship between species) · cmn 食物鏈 /食物链 (feeding relationship between species) · th ห่วงโซ่อาหาร (feeding relationship between species) · mk ланец на исхрана (feeding relationship between species) · cy cadwyn fwyd (feeding relationship between species) · fi ravintoketju (feeding relationship between species) · ga biashlabhra (feeding relationship between species) · ja 食物連鎖 (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · rm chadaina da nutriment (feeding relationship between species) · ja 食物連鎖 (feeding relationship between species) · pt cadeia alimentar (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · lt mitybos grandinė (feeding relationship between species) · nl pikorde (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · cmn 层次 (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · sl prehranjevalna veriga (feeding relationship between species) · sk potravinový reťazec (feeding relationship between species) · et toitumisahel (feeding relationship between species) · gl cadea alimenticia (feeding relationship between species) · hu tápláléklánc (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · pl łańcuch pokarmowy (feeding relationship between species) · pt cadeia trófica (feeding relationship between species) · he שרשרת מזון (feeding relationship between species) · az qida zənciri (feeding relationship between species) · nn næringskjede (feeding relationship between species) · it catena alimentare (feeding relationship between species) · vi chuỗi thức ăn (feeding relationship between species) · ru трофи́ческая цепь (feeding relationship between species) · cmn 食物鏈 /食物链 (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · ro lanț trofic (feeding relationship between species) · nl voedselketen (feeding relationship between species) · ko 식물 연쇄 (idiomatic: a hierarchy) · nb næringskjede (feeding relationship between species) · mr अन्नसाखळी (feeding relationship between species) · bg хранителна верига (feeding relationship between species) · hu tápláléklánc (feeding relationship between species) · cs potravní řetězec (feeding relationship between species) · de Nahrungskette (feeding relationship between species) · eu kate trofiko (feeding relationship between species) · sv näringskedja (feeding relationship between species) · mk синџир на исхрана (feeding relationship between species) · fr chaîne alimentaire (feeding relationship between species) · af voedselketting (feeding relationship between species) · da fødekæde (feeding relationship between species)