A person who carries a chain, especially a surveying chain in construction or land measurement work.
From English 'chain' (from Old French 'chaine', from Latin 'catena') + 'bearer' (from Old English 'beran', meaning to carry). The compound emerged in the 18th-19th centuries as surveying became professionalized.
Before GPS and digital tools, chainbearers were essential to mapping land—they literally carried the measuring device across fields and forests, making them the original human measuring tapes for civilization's expansion.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.