chain letter

noun

1. a letter sent to a number of people, each of whom is asked to make and mail copies to other people who are to do likewise, often used as a means of spreading a message or raising money.

chain letter

noun

1. a letter, often with a request for and promise of money, that is sent to many people who add to or recopy it and send it on to others: illegal in many countries

Word History and Origins

Origin of chain letter¹

First recorded in 1905–10