supply chain

American  

[suh-plahy cheyn] / səˈplaɪ ˌtʃeɪn /

noun

• supply chains
  plural

1. the series of growers, manufacturers, distributors, shippers, etc., involved in producing goods of a particular kind and bringing them to market.

   A typical supply chain from fiber to garment has up to seven players spread across the globe—more, if processes like dyeing or printing are subcontracted.

---

supply chain British  

noun

1. marketing a channel of distribution beginning with the supplier of materials or components, extending through a manufacturing process to the distributor and retailer, and ultimately to the consumer

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• supply chains
  plural

Etymology

Origin of supply chain

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

supply chain

Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the government was building a "more resilient, homegrown defence supply chain and ensuring our armed forces receive the pioneering equipment that can give them the edge on the battlefield".

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

"We welcome the court's ruling that this supply chain risk designation was unlawful," an Anthropic spokesperson said Thursday.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

“We have a really gigantic supply chain, and so we have incredible partners and we’ve secured a lot of supply. But we just need a lot more.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

The government has said it wants to spend more on UK-made defence equipment and bring smaller companies into the supply chain.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

With the news now made public, most of the town, including Kalbro’s supply chain manager, was trembling with the bad vibes.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx