sequence
English
Etymology
From Middle English sequence,[1] borrowed from French sequence (“a sequence of cards, answering verses”), from Late Latin sequentia (“a following”), from Latin sequens (“following”), from sequi (“to follow”); see sequent.
Pronunciation
Noun
sequence (countable and uncountable, plural sequences)
- A set of things next to each other in a set order; a series
- (uncountable) The state of being sequent or following; order of succession.
- Complete the listed tasks in sequence.
- A series of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated, with some change each time, such as in pitch or length (example: opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony).
- A musical composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings. The most famous sequence is the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) formerly used in funeral services.
- (mathematics) An ordered list of objects, typically indexed with natural numbers.
- (now rare) A subsequent event; a consequence or result.
- 1891, Mary Noailles Murfree, In the "Stranger People's" Country, Nebraska 2005, pp. 12-13:
- he found no words to convey the impressions he had received; then he gave way to the anger always the sequence of the antagonism of opinion between them.
- 1891, Mary Noailles Murfree, In the "Stranger People's" Country, Nebraska 2005, pp. 12-13:
- A series of shots that depict a single action or style in a film, television show etc.
- 2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits :”, in The Onion AV Club[1]:
- What follows is a bunch of nonstop goofery involving chase sequences, dream sequences, fast-changing costumes and an improbable beard, a little musical help from Flight Of The Conchords, and ultimately a very physical confrontation with a surprisingly spry Victoria.
- (card games) A meld consisting of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit, such as the four, five and six of hearts.
Usage notes
- (mathematics): Beginning students often confuse sequence with series.
Synonyms
- (a set of things next to each other in a set order): See Thesaurus:sequence
Hypernyms
- (mathematics): function
Hyponyms
- presequence
- (computing): escape sequence
Meronyms
- (mathematics): term
Derived terms
Related terms
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Translations
set of things in a set order
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series of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
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poetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
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series of shots that depict a single action or style
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meld of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
Verb
sequence (third-person singular simple present sequences, present participle sequencing, simple past and past participle sequenced)
- (transitive) to arrange in an order
- (transitive, biochemistry) to determine the order of things, especially of amino acids in a protein, or of bases in a nucleic acid
- (transitive) to produce (music) with a sequencer
Translations
to arrange in an order
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to determine the order of amino acids in a protein, or of bases in a nucleic acid
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References
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “sequence”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Further reading
- “sequence”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “sequence”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Categories:
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sekʷ- (follow)
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms borrowed from French
- English terms derived from French
- English terms derived from Late Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- en:Mathematics
- English terms with rare senses
- English terms with quotations
- en:Card games
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- en:Biochemistry