noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈt͡ʃeɪnˌsɔː/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:/ˈt͡ʃeɪnˌsɔ/
cot-caught-merger:/ˈt͡ʃeɪnˌsɑ/
AmericanRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:CH EY1 N S AO2
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A power saw that has a power-driven and fast-revolving chain of metal teeth, usually used to cut trees.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: machinery
Topics: business, forestry
Examples
He used a chainsaw to cut through the fallen tree on the roadway.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To cut with a chainsaw.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: business, forestry
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To make quick and substantial spending cuts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
portable power saw; teeth linked to form an endless chain
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chain saw
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: power saw, saw, sawing machine
History
Etymology
Compound of chain + saw in reference to the chain-cutting mechanism.
Across languages
Translations
73 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
բենզասղոց
(benzasġocʻ)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Belarusian:
бензапіла́
(bjenzapilá)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Catalan:
serra de cadena
— saw with a power-driven chain
Chinese Mandarin:
電鏈鋸 /电链锯
(diànliànjù)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Chinese Mandarin:
電鋸 /电锯
(diànjù)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Chinese Mandarin:
鏈鋸 /链锯
(liànjù)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Czech:
řetězová pila
— saw with a power-driven chain
Danish:
kædesav
— saw with a power-driven chain
Danish:
motorsav
— saw with a power-driven chain
Dutch:
kettingzaag
— saw with a power-driven chain
Esperanto:
motorsegilo
— saw with a power-driven chain
Estonian:
mootorsaag
— saw with a power-driven chain
Faroese:
ketusag
— saw with a power-driven chain
Finnish:
moottorisaha
— saw with a power-driven chain
French:
tronçonneuse
— saw with a power-driven chain
French:
scie à chaîne
— saw with a power-driven chain
Galician:
motoserra
— saw with a power-driven chain
Georgian:
ბენზოხერხი
(benzoxerxi)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Georgian:
ჯაჭვური ხერხი
(ǯač̣vuri xerxi)
— saw with a power-driven chain
German:
Kettensäge
— saw with a power-driven chain
German:
Motorsäge
— saw with a power-driven chain
German:
Motorfuchsschwanz
— saw with a power-driven chain
Greek:
αλυσοπρίονο
(alysopríono)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Hungarian:
láncfűrész
— saw with a power-driven chain
Hungarian:
druzsba
— saw with a power-driven chain
Icelandic:
keðjusög
— saw with a power-driven chain
Indonesian:
gergaji rantai
— saw with a power-driven chain
Indonesian:
gergaji listrik
— saw with a power-driven chain
Indonesian:
gergaji mesin
— saw with a power-driven chain
Interlingua:
motoserra
— saw with a power-driven chain
Italian:
motosega
— saw with a power-driven chain
Japanese:
チェーンソー
(chēnsō)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Japanese:
鎖鋸
(kusarinoko)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Khmer:
រណាយន្ត
(rənaa yʊən)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Khmer:
រណាច្រវាក់
(rənaa crɑvak)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Korean:
사슬톱
(saseultop)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Korean:
체인톱
(cheintop)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Latvian:
motorzāģis
— saw with a power-driven chain
Luxembourgish:
Motorsee
— saw with a power-driven chain
Macedonian:
моторна пила́
(motorna pilá)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Mongolian:
гинжит хөрөө
(ginžit xöröö)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Norman:
scie à chaîne
— saw with a power-driven chain
Norwegian Bokmål:
motorsag
— saw with a power-driven chain
Norwegian Nynorsk:
motorsag
— saw with a power-driven chain
Polish:
piła łańcuchowa
— saw with a power-driven chain
Polish:
pilarka łańcuchowa
— saw with a power-driven chain
Portuguese:
motosserra
— saw with a power-driven chain
Portuguese:
motoserrote
— saw with a power-driven chain
Portuguese:
eletrosserra
— saw with a power-driven chain
Romanian:
ferăstrău
— saw with a power-driven chain
Romanian:
fierăstrău
— saw with a power-driven chain
Romanian:
drujbă
— saw with a power-driven chain
Russian:
бензопила́
(benzopilá)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Russian:
цепна́я пила́
(cepnája pilá)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Serbo-Croatian:
motorna pila
— saw with a power-driven chain
Sicilian:
motuserra
— saw with a power-driven chain
Slovak:
reťazová píla
— saw with a power-driven chain
Slovene:
motorka
— saw with a power-driven chain
Spanish:
motosierra
— saw with a power-driven chain
Spanish:
sierra eléctrica
— saw with a power-driven chain
Spanish:
sierra de cadena
— saw with a power-driven chain
Spanish:
motoserrucho
— saw with a power-driven chain
Spanish:
tronzadora
— saw with a power-driven chain
Swahili:
msumeno wa mnyororo
— saw with a power-driven chain
Swedish:
motorsåg
— saw with a power-driven chain
Thai:
เลื่อยยนต์
(lʉ̂ai-yon)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Turkish:
motorlu testere
— saw with a power-driven chain
Turkish:
zincirli testere
— saw with a power-driven chain
Turkish:
hızar
— saw with a power-driven chain
Ukrainian:
бензопила́
(benzopylá)
— saw with a power-driven chain
Vietnamese:
cưa máy
— saw with a power-driven chain
Vietnamese:
máy cưa xích
— saw with a power-driven chain
Welsh:
llif gadwyn
— saw with a power-driven chain