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chain reaction

Syllabification: (chain re·ac·tion)
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Definition of chain reaction

noun

  • a chemical reaction or other process in which the products themselves promote or spread the reaction, which under certain conditions may accelerate dramatically.
  • the self-sustaining fission reaction spread by neutrons that occurs in nuclear reactors and bombs.
  • a series of events, each caused by the previous one:an article in one publication sets off a chain reaction in the media

chain reaction in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of chain reaction in the British & World English dictionary