Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to: navigation, search


Wikipedia has an article on:


A metal chain
A chain of daisies
Molecular chain for acrylic


From Middle English chaine, from Old French chaine, chaene ("chain"; Modern French: chaîne), from Latin catēna ‎(chain), from Proto-Indo-European *kat- ‎(to braid, twist; hut, shed). Cognate with North Frisian ketten ‎(chain), Dutch keten ‎(chain), Low German Kede ‎(chain), German Kette ‎(chain), Danish kæde ‎(chain), Swedish kedja ‎(chain), Icelandic keðja ‎(chain).



chain ‎(plural chains)

    He wore a gold chain around the neck.
  2. A series of interconnected things.
    a chain of mountains
    a chain of ideas, one leading to the next
    This led to an unfortunate chain of events.
    That chain of restaurants is expanding into our town.
  4. (chemistry) A number of atoms in a series, which combine to form a molecule.
    When examined, the molecular chain included oxygen and hydrogen.
  6. (surveying) A long measuring tape.
    the chains of habit
    • Milton
      Driven down / To chains of darkness and the undying worm.
  12. (weaving) The warp threads of a web.


Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]




chain ‎(third-person singular simple present chains, present participle chaining, simple past and past participle chained)

  1. (transitive) To fasten something with a chain.
  2. (intransitive) To link multiple items together.
  3. (transitive) To secure someone with fetters.



External links[edit]






  1. Aspirate mutation of cain.


Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
cain gain nghain chain
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.