sequence

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UK/ˈsiː.kwəns/Canada, US/ˈsi.kwəns/Canada, US/ˈsi.kwɛns/

noun

A set of things next to each other in a set order; a series.

“An alphabet follows a sequence.”

Opposite
Very commonScrabble 19

Meanings

nounsequence (countable and uncountable, plural sequences)

plural sequences

  1. countableuncountableA set of things next to each other in a set order; a series.

    An alphabet follows a sequence.

    1 more example

    The risks involved in changing the DNA sequence is higher.

  2. uncountableThe state of being sequent or following; order of succession.

    Complete the listed tasks in sequence.

  3. countableuncountableA 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).
  4. countableuncountableA 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.
  5. countableuncountablemathematicsAn ordered list of objects, typically indexed with natural numbers.
  6. archaiccountableuncountableA subsequent event; a consequence or result.

    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, published 2005, pages 12–13
  7. countableuncountableA series of shots that depict a single action or style in a film, television show, or other video medium.

    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.

    2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits :”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 28 May 2013
  8. countableuncountablecard gamesA meld consisting of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit, such as the four, five and six of hearts.
verbsequence (third-person singular simple present sequences, present participle sequencing, simple past and past participle sequenced)

present singular third person sequences · participle present sequencing · participle past sequenced · past sequenced

  1. transitiveTo arrange (something) in an order.

    We sequenced the code to keep it organised.

    1 more example

    The later edition of the book sequenced the chapters differently, which caused a lot of confusion among non-technical readers.

  2. transitivebiochemistryTo determine the order of monomers in (a biological polymer), e.g. of amino acids in (a protein), or of bases in (a nucleic acid).
  3. transitiveentertainmentTo produce (music) with a sequencer.
  4. intransitiveuncommonTo proceed through a sequence or series of things.

    If indeed smokers sequence through more biologic therapies, these findings may bring about significant practice changes focused on smoking cessation earlier in the CD course.

    2023 July 21, Madeline Alizadeh, Osman Ali, Raymond K. Cross, “Assessing Progression of Biologic Therapies Based on Smoking Status in Patients With Crohn’s Disease”, in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, volume 20, →DOI, page 2
    1 more example

    Children start to make meanings and connections as soon as they encounter the book. This starts with the initial analyses and inferences they make when they see the book cover and continues as they sequence through the interior illustrations.

    2021 April 21, Benita Strnad, Ginger Magnusson Hewitt, “Reading a Book Through Its Cover: The Importance of Preserving Visual and Tactile Information in Children’s and Young Adult Literature in the Academic Library”, in Collection Management, volume 46, numbers 3–4, →DOI, page 335

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite

nouna following of one thing after another in time

Similar
chronological sequencesuccessionsuccessivenesschronological succession
Broader
temporal arrangementtemporal order

nounfilm consisting of a succession of related shots that develop a given subject in a movie

Similar
Broader
filmphotographic film

nounthe action of following in order

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinsequēns“following”
  2. Late Latinsequentia“a following”
  3. Old Frenchsequence“a sequence of cards, answering verses”
  4. Middle Englishsequence
  5. Englishsequence

From Middle English sequence, from Old French sequence (“a sequence of cards, answering verses”), from Late Latin sequentia (“a following”), from Latin sequēns (“following”), from sequī (“to follow”); see sequent.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek συνέχεια
  • συνέχεια (sunékheia)set of things in a set order
Arabic مُتَتَالِيَة, مُتَوَالِيَة
  • مُتَتَالِيَة (mutatāliya)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • مُتَوَالِيَة (mutawāliya)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • مُتَتَابِعَة (mutatābiʕa)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Bulgarian серия, поредица
  • серия (serija)set of things in a set order
  • поредица (poredica)set of things in a set order
  • рефрен (refren)series of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • ред (red)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • епизод (epizod)series of shots that depict a single action or style
  • последователност (posledovatelnost)meld of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit
  • подреждам (podreždam)to arrange in an order
Catalan seqüència, seqüència
  • seqüènciaset of things in a set order
  • seqüènciain mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • successiòin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • seqüènciaseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Chinese Mandarin 序列, 順序 /顺序
  • 序列 (xùliè)set of things in a set order
  • 順序 /顺序 (shùnxù)set of things in a set order
  • 數列 /数列 (shùliè)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Czech řada, sled
  • řadaset of things in a set order
  • sledset of things in a set order
  • sekvenceset of things in a set order
  • posloupnostin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Danish rækkefølge, sekvens
  • rækkefølgeset of things in a set order
  • sekvensset of things in a set order
  • tonerækkeseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • sekvenspoetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
  • følgein mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Dutch volgorde, reeks
  • volgordeset of things in a set order
  • reeksset of things in a set order
  • rijin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Esperanto sekvenco
  • sekvencoset of things in a set order
Finnish sarja, sekvenssi
  • sarjaset of things in a set order
  • sekvenssiset of things in a set order
  • sekvenssiseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • sekvenssipoetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
  • lukujonoin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • jonoin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
French suite, séquence
  • suiteset of things in a set order
  • séquenceset of things in a set order
  • séquenceseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • séquencepoetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
  • suitein mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • séquencein mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • séquenceseries of shots that depict a single action or style
  • suitemeld of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit
German Reihenfolge, Sequenz
  • Reihenfolgeset of things in a set order
  • Sequenzseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • Folgein mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • Sequenzseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Greek ακολουθία, σειρά
  • ακολουθία (akolouthía)set of things in a set order
  • σειρά (seirá)set of things in a set order
  • αλληλουχία (allilouchía)set of things in a set order
  • ακολουθία (akolouthía)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • σεκάνς (sekáns)series of shots that depict a single action or style
Hebrew סדרה, רצף
  • סדרה (sidrá)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • רצףseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Hungarian sorozat, szekvencia
  • sorozatset of things in a set order
  • szekvenciaset of things in a set order
  • sorset of things in a set order
  • sorrendset of things in a set order
  • szekvenciaseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • szekvenciapoetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
  • sorozatin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sorba állítto arrange in an order
  • sorba rendezto arrange in an order
  • sorba rakto arrange in an order
  • sorrendbe állítto arrange in an order
  • szekvenálto determine the order of monomers in (a biological polymer)
  • sorrendet megállapítto determine the order of monomers in (a biological polymer)
Irish seicheamh, seicheamh
  • seicheamhset of things in a set order
  • seicheamhseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • seicheamhin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Italian sequenza, successione
  • sequenzaset of things in a set order
  • successionein mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sequenzain mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sequenzaseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Japanese 順序, 数列
  • 順序 (junjo)set of things in a set order
  • 数列 (sūretsu)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Korean 순서, 시퀀스
  • 순서 (sunseo)set of things in a set order
  • 시퀀스 (sikwonseu)series of shots that depict a single action or style
Latin seriēs
  • seriēsset of things in a set order
Latvian secība
  • secībaset of things in a set order
Malay turutan
  • turutanset of things in a set order
Māori raupapa, hātepe
  • raupapaset of things in a set order
  • hātepeset of things in a set order
  • raupapatangaset of things in a set order
  • whakaraupapato arrange in an order
Norwegian rekkefølge
  • rekkefølgeset of things in a set order
Norwegian Bokmål følge
  • følgein mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Persian توالی, سکانس
  • توالی (tavâli)set of things in a set order
  • سکانسseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Polish kolejność, sekwencja
  • kolejnośćset of things in a set order
  • sekwencjaset of things in a set order
  • biegset of things in a set order
  • sekwencjaseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • sekwencjapoetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
  • ciągin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sekwencjaseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Portuguese sequência, sequência
  • sequênciaset of things in a set order
  • sequênciaseries of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • sequênciapoetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
  • sequênciain mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sucessãoin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sequênciaseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Romanian secvență, șir
  • secvențăset of things in a set order
  • șirin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Russian после́довательность, ряд
  • после́довательность (poslédovatelʹnostʹ)set of things in a set order
  • ряд (rjad)set of things in a set order
  • очерёдность (očerjódnostʹ)set of things in a set order
  • секве́нция (sekvéncija)series of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated
  • секве́нция (sekvéncija)poetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings
  • после́довательность (poslédovatelʹnostʹ)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Scottish Gaelic leanmhainn
  • leanmhainnset of things in a set order
Spanish secuencia, sucesión
  • secuenciaset of things in a set order
  • sucesiónin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • secuenciaseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Swedish följd, följd
  • följdset of things in a set order
  • följdin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sekvensseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Tagalog datig, datig
  • datigset of things in a set order
  • datigin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Thai ลำดับ, ลำดับ
  • ลำดับ (lam-dàp)set of things in a set order
  • ลำดับ (lam-dàp)in mathematics, an ordered list of objects
Turkish dizi, sekans
  • diziin mathematics, an ordered list of objects
  • sekansseries of shots that depict a single action or style
Vietnamese dãy
  • dãyset of things in a set order

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

sequins (General American, Canada)sequins (General American, Canada)
Cite this entry
APA

sequence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sequence

MLA

“sequence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sequence. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sequence,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sequence.

Source: sequence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.