A failure or break in a chain, or the point at which a chain separates or fails.
From English 'chain' + 'break' (from Old English 'brecan', meaning to shatter). This compound became common in industrial contexts, particularly in the 19th century.
A chainbreak in a supply chain can cascade through entire industries—one broken link literally stops the whole system, which is why the metaphor became so powerful in business language.
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