food chain
Food chain (noun) means a sequence of living things in which each one is eaten by the next, showing how energy passes from plants up through animals in an ecosystem. Example: “Plankton sit at the bottom of the ocean food chain.”
How to use food chain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWho eats whom in nature, or who ranks above whom at work.
The biological sense is neutral and technical. The figurative sense is informal and common in workplace talk.
A food chain is a single line of who eats whom; a food web shows all the overlapping chains in one habitat, which is far closer to reality.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Plankton sit at the bottom of the ocean _____.
Etymology
From food + chain.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for food chain
See all rhymes for food chain →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
A food chain traces one straight path of energy, such as grass to rabbit to fox. A food web joins many such chains together, showing that most animals eat several things and are eaten by several others.
What is at the top of the food chain?
The top position is held by apex predators, animals that no other species regularly hunts, such as orcas, lions and large sharks. They are usually few in number because so much energy is lost at each step below them.
What does it mean to be at the bottom of the food chain at work?
It means holding the most junior position, with little authority and the least desirable tasks. The phrase borrows the biological image to describe office hierarchy and is usually said with some resignation or humour.
What is the meaning of food chain?
"food chain" (noun) means a sequence of living things in which each one is eaten by the next, showing how energy passes from plants up through animals in an ecosystem.