Meaning
chain
- chain (of shops, hotels, mountains)
- bond, fetter
In a sentence
Ho comprato una catena nuova per la bici.
I bought a new chain for the bike.
Perché tieni il cane con una catena?
Why do you keep the dog on a chain?
Lavora per una grande catena di supermercati.
He works for a large supermarket chain.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| catena | feminine · singular |
| catene | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- For a physical chain, catena is standard; corda means rope, and collana is a necklace or chain worn as jewelry.
- For stores, una catena means a chain business: catena di supermercati, catena alberghiera. Don’t use serie for this meaning.
- In figurative use, catena often appears in fixed phrases like spezzare le catene or reazione a catena.