chain printer: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Historical Technical
Quick answer
What does “chain printer” mean?
A type of impact printer where the characters are embossed on a rotating chain.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of impact printer where the characters are embossed on a rotating chain; the chain spins until the correct character is in position, then a hammer strikes it against the ribbon and paper.
Historically, a high-speed line printer used with mainframe and minicomputer systems in the mid-to-late 20th century. The term is now almost exclusively historical/archival.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No lexical differences; the technology term was standardized. Spelling follows local conventions (e.g., 'characterised' vs 'characterized' in surrounding text).
Connotations
Same technical/historical connotation in both regions.
Frequency
Extremely low and declining in both, limited to historical discussion. Slightly higher frequency in British English in contexts discussing legacy systems like the IBM 1403, which was widely used.
Grammar
How to Use “chain printer” in a Sentence
[The/Our] + chain printer + [verb e.g., jammed, printed, produced] + [object][Subject] + replaced + [object] + with a chain printer.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chain printer” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The data centre was chain-printing reams of payroll reports overnight.
American English
- They chain-printed the logs for archival purposes.
adjective
British English
- The chain-printer output was notoriously noisy.
American English
- We had a chain-printer room separate from the terminals.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used in modern business. Might appear in asset lists for legacy systems or in historical cost analyses.
Academic
Used in historical surveys of computing technology, museum studies, or the history of technology.
Everyday
Extremely rare. An older person might recall using one.
Technical
Used precisely in historical IT contexts, documentation for legacy system maintenance, or computer history publications.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chain printer”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chain printer”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chain printer”
- Using it to refer to any old printer. Confusing it with 'dot matrix printer'. Misspelling as 'chainprinter' or 'chain-printed'. Using in present-tense contexts as if it were a current technology.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Virtually never. They were superseded by laser and inkjet printers due to noise, maintenance, and print quality.
High speed for continuous, bulk printing (e.g., hundreds of lines per minute), making it suitable for data centres in the 1960s-1980s.
Only through specialised vintage computer dealers or auctions as a collector's item. They are not produced commercially.
In a chain printer, characters are on a rotating chain; in a drum printer, characters are engraved on a rotating cylinder (drum). Both are types of line printers.
A type of impact printer where the characters are embossed on a rotating chain.
Chain printer is usually historical technical in register.
Chain printer: in British English it is pronounced /tʃeɪn ˈprɪntə/, and in American English it is pronounced /tʃeɪn ˈprɪn(t)ər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a bicycle chain with letters on each link spinning around and hammering onto paper.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PRINTING DEVICE IS A PHYSICAL ASSEMBLY LINE (chain conveys characters to the print position).
Practice
Quiz
A chain printer is best described as: