daisy-chain

UK/ˈdeɪzit͡ʃeɪn/US/ˈdeɪziˌt͡ʃeɪn/

verb

To artificially increase (the price of a commodity; originally crude oil, especially in a single shipment) by a group of dealers buying and selling it among themselves before it is sold to a party outside the group.

“We daisy-chained several USB hubs to see if we could reach the far side of the room.”

Meanings

verbdaisy-chain (third-person singular simple present daisy-chains, present participle daisy-chaining, simple past and past participle daisy-chained)

present singular third person daisy-chains · participle present daisy-chaining · participle past daisy-chained · past daisy-chained · alternative daisychain · alternative daisy chain

  1. transitivebusinessTo artificially increase (the price of a commodity; originally crude oil, especially in a single shipment) by a group of dealers buying and selling it among themselves before it is sold to a party outside the group.
  2. transitivebusinessTo connect (several computer devices or peripherals, or other components) in sequence with each other, usually such that the output of one component forms the input of another; also (followed by to), to connect (a computer device, peripheral, or other component) to another component in such a sequence.

    We daisy-chained several USB hubs to see if we could reach the far side of the room.

    1 more example

    The jacks can be ‘daisy-chained’ and controlled as a synchronised set.

    2021 November 3, “Network News: Lifting Jacks for SWR”, in Rail, number 943, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 29
  3. intransitiveOf people, animals, etc.: to position in a line and move like a chain.
  4. intransitivebusinessTo artificially increase the price of a commodity (originally crude oil, especially in a single shipment) by a group of dealers buying and selling it among themselves before it is sold to a party outside the group.
  5. intransitivebusinessEspecially of a computer device, peripheral, or other component: to be capable of being connected with other components in sequence.

    These peripherals are designed to daisy-chain easily with each other.

noundaisy-chain (plural daisy-chains)

plural daisy-chains

  1. alternativeAlternative form of daisy chain.

Origin

The verb is derived from daisy chain (noun).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish ketjuttaa, liikkua jonossa
  • ketjuttaato connect (several computer components) in sequence with each other; to connect (a computer component) to another component in such a sequence
  • liikkua jonossaof people, animals, etc.: to position in a line and move like a chain
  • liikkua ketjunaof people, animals, etc.: to position in a line and move like a chain
  • ketjuttuaespecially of a computer component: to be capable of being connected with other components in sequence
  • myydä edestakaisin hinnan nostamiseksi(transitive, intransitive) to artificially increase (the price of a commodity) by a group of dealers buying and selling it among themselves before it is sold to a party outside the group
French connecter en série
  • connecter en sérieto connect (several computer components) in sequence with each other; to connect (a computer component) to another component in such a sequence
Cite this entry
APA

daisy-chain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/daisy-chain

MLA

“daisy-chain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/daisy-chain. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “daisy-chain,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/daisy-chain.

Source: daisy-chain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.