English Explanatory Dictionary

serial

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Having to do with or arranged in a series.
  2. Who performs a specified action or course of action repeatedly or regularly.
  3. Published or produced in installments.
  4. Of or relating to a grammatical aspect relating to an action that is habitual and ongoing.
noun
  1. A literary or dramatic work, such as a radio or television programme, published in installments, often numbered and without a specified end.
  2. A publication issued in successive parts, often numbered and with no predetermined end.
  3. A serial number, esp. one required to activate software.
  4. A unit of police officers equipped with shields to tackle a riot.
verb
  1. to assign a serial number to (especially of aircraft)

Pronunciation

/ˈsɪə.ɹɪ.əl/ /ˈsɪɹ.i.əl/ En-au-serial.ogg

Word forms

serial serials serialing serialling serialed serialled

Etymology

Formed as series + -al, on model of Latin seriālis, from seriēs + -ālis. Cognate to Italian seriale. First use appears c. 1823. See cite below.

Synonyms

sequential career

Related words

seriate seriatim seriation series fascicle twelve tone technique

Derived words

biserial multiserial pauciserial polyserial postserial quadriserial quinqueserial rectiserial serial art serial bond serial comma serial file serial interval serialise serialism serialist serialistic seriality serialize serial key serial killer serially serial monogamist serial monogamy serial music serial number serial pest serial polygamy serial port serial position effect serial rapist serial time-encoded amplified microscopy subserial triserial uniserial nonserial daytime serial miniserial teleserial
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