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.

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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

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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

In an open letter to the prime minister, chancellor and West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, industry leaders argued Britain's automotive supply chain was "not in decline" but "in the wrong market".

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

Investors are looking further down the AI data-center supply chain for signs of demand amid concerns of a spending slowdown, one expert says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Hardware makers further down the AI data-center supply chain are good indicators of underlying AI infrastructure demand, said Joseph DeYonker, the CEO of PurePlay ETFs.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

"We are focusing our efforts on strengthening supply chain management, improving manufacturing readiness and expanding production capacity in ways that serve the United States and its allies well."

From Barron's

When I asked him to elaborate, Hyten sketched out for me how animated films are produced today through a global supply chain.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman