food chain

food chain
noun
(ecology) a community of organisms where each member is eaten in turn by another member
• Topics: ↑ecology, ↑bionomics, ↑environmental science
• Hypernyms: ↑organic phenomenon
• Part Holonyms: ↑food web, ↑food cycle

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food chain,
1. Ecology. a group of organisms so interrelated that each member of the group feeds upon the one below it and is in turn eaten by the organism above it.
2. Figurative: »

Metalheads may not rank very high on the socioeconomic food chain, but they are certainly not embarrassed (New York Times).

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n. a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food

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noun, pl ⋯ chains [count]
: a series of types of living things in which each one uses the next lower member of the series as a source of food
— usually used with the

Sharks eat fish that are lower in the food chain.

animals that are at the top/bottom of the food chain

— often used figuratively

directors and producers at the top of the Hollywood food chain [=very powerful and successful directors and producers]

the corporate food chain

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ˈfood chain [food chain food chains] noun (usually the food chain)
a series of living creatures in which each type of creature feeds on the one below it in the series

•

Insects are fairly low down (on) the food chain.

•

Pesticides work their way up the food chain from plants, through insects and birds to humans.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • food chain — ► NOUN ▪ a series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food …   English terms dictionary

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  • Food Chain — Das System des Agribusiness Agribusiness oder auch Agrobusiness bezeichnet als Anglizismus (aus dem englischen „agriculture“ und „business“) neben der Landwirtschaft auch die ihr vor und nachgelagerten wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten. Gemeinsam… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • food chain — UK / US noun [countable, usually singular] Word forms food chain : singular food chain plural food chains 1) biology the natural process in which one living thing is eaten by another, which is then eaten by another, etc Antibiotics used for… …   English dictionary

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