sequence

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sequence

  • /ˈsiː.kwəns/ UK
  • /ˈsi.kwəns/ Canada, US
  • /ˈsi.kwɛns/ Canada, US
  • /ˈsiː.kwəns/ Australia, New Zealand

Sounds like sequins (General American, Canada)

Where it comes from

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.

noun sequences

  1. countable, uncountable A set of things next to each other in a set order; a series. An alphabet follows a sequence.
  2. uncountable The state of being sequent or following; order of succession. Complete the listed tasks in sequence.
  3. countable, uncountable 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).
  4. countable, uncountable 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.
  5. countable, uncountable An ordered list of objects, typically indexed with natural numbers.
  6. archaic, countable, uncountable A 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.
  7. countable, uncountable A 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.
  8. countable, uncountable A meld consisting of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit, such as the four, five and six of hearts.

Similar: array, chain, procession, consecution, sequence, series, string, succession, train · Opposite: hodgepodge

verb sequences · sequencing · sequenced

  1. transitive To arrange (something) in an order. We sequenced the code to keep it organised.
  2. transitive To 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. transitive To produce (music) with a sequencer.
  4. intransitive, uncommon To proceed through a sequence or series of things. 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.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: successiveness, succession, episode, chronological sequence, chronological succession, serial, series, order, sequentially, timing, pattern, chronology, piece, back-to-back, listing, timeline

Translations

Every language

noun set of things in a set order

Españolsecuencia
한국어순서 sunseo
日本語順序 junjo
中文序列 xùliè, 順序 /顺序 shùnxù
Portuguêssequência
Françaissuite, séquence
DeutschReihenfolge
Italianosequenza
Ελληνικάακολουθία akolouthía, σειρά seirá, αλληλουχία allilouchía
Românăsecvență
Русскийпосле́довательность poslédovatelʹnostʹ, ряд rjad, очерёдность očerjódnostʹ
Tiếng Việtdãy

noun series of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated

Portuguêssequência
Françaisséquence
DeutschSequenz
Русскийсекве́нция sekvéncija

noun poetic, music composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings

Portuguêssequência
Françaisséquence
Русскийсекве́нция sekvéncija

noun in mathematics, an ordered list of objects

Españolsucesión
日本語数列 sūretsu
中文數列 /数列 shùliè
Portuguêssequência, sucessão
Françaissuite, séquence
DeutschFolge
Italianosuccessione, sequenza
Ελληνικάακολουθία akolouthía
Românășir
Русскийпосле́довательность poslédovatelʹnostʹ
العربيةمُتَتَالِيَة mutatāliya, مُتَوَالِيَة mutawāliya, مُتَتَابِعَة mutatābiʕa
עבריתסדרה sidrá

noun series of shots that depict a single action or style

Españolsecuencia
한국어시퀀스 sikwonseu
Portuguêssequência
Françaisséquence
DeutschSequenz
Italianosequenza
Ελληνικάσεκάνς sekáns
עבריתרצף

noun meld of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit

Françaissuite

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MLA

"sequence." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/sequence. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

APA

sequence. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/sequence

Chicago

"sequence." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 5, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/sequence.

BibTeX
@misc{sequence_2026,
  title = {sequence},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/sequence},
  urldate = {2026-11-05}
}