food web

American  

[food web] / ˈfud ˌwɛb /

noun

Ecology.

1. a series of organisms related by predator-prey and consumer-resource interactions; the entirety of interrelated food chains in an ecological community.

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food web British  

noun

1. a combination of food chains that integrate to form a network

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food web Scientific  

1. See under food chain

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Etymology

Origin of food web

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The evidence suggests that giant octopuses were an exception, rising to the top levels of the food web and competing directly with large vertebrates.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

Instead, they argue that complex food web dynamics require careful analysis and strong evidence.

From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2026

Using this information, the team reconstructed the Jurassic food web in greater detail than previously achieved for dinosaurs.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2026

Microplastics, along with ultra-tiny nanoplastics, can kill or severely sicken marine life before entering the food web and ultimately ending up on our plates.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

"The other thing we're trying to figure out is once these organisms fix the carbon into their cells, how does it become available to the rest of the food web?" she noted.

From Science Daily • Dec. 10, 2025