: either of the two larger of the four polypeptide chains comprising antibodies compare light chain
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebAnyone who knows the significance of the November 1938 date on the Buck Hill bunker or that of the heavy chain nearby may contact this column. Paula Allen, San Antonio Express-News, 29 May 2021 Nobody, however, denies that the heavy chain was used as punishment by an all-white group of instructors on a Black cadet.USA Today, 14 Apr. 2021 At the same time, the quarterly results of other retailers showed Kohl's vulnerability as an apparel-heavy chain during the COVID crisis. Phil Wahba, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2020 Goff uses sandbags and knows of growers who rely on heavy chains.Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2019 Harvesting is the hardest part of the job, requiring the cutter to bend over with a heavy chain saw to sever the trunk 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) or less above the ground, said Daniel Garibay, a Hupp Farms employee.Washington Post, 13 Dec. 2019 Llamas, camels, and sharks all use only a pair of heavy chains. Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 5 Nov. 2018 A few weeks later, debt collectors locked the doors with a heavy chain. Dan Levin, New York Times, 10 July 2018 As with the cemetery in Tunis, the gates of Bassatine were locked with a heavy chain and the graveyard was surrounded by a wall, this one at least 12 feet high. Michael David Lukas, New York Times, 8 June 2018 See More
Word History
First Known Use
1964, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
heavy chain
noun
ˈhev-ē-ˈchān
: either of the two larger of the four polypeptide chains comprising antibodies compare light chain