serial

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serial

/ˈsɪə.ɹɪ.əl/ UK
/ˈsɪɹ.i.əl/ US

Sounds like cereal

Where it comes from

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

adjective

not comparable Having to do with or arranged in a series. These singular ribs have a very different direction from that of the serial teeth of the hinge, and cannot be taken for teeth.
Similar: sequential
not comparable, of a person Who performs a specified action or course of action repeatedly or regularly. The serial killer had a string of victims across seven states.
Similar: career
not comparable Published or produced in installments.
not comparable Of or relating to a grammatical aspect relating to an action that is habitual and ongoing.

noun serials

A literary or dramatic work, such as a radio or television programme, published in installments, often numbered and without a specified end.
A publication issued in successive parts, often numbered and with no predetermined end.
slang A serial number, esp. one required to activate software. Go to these sites for serials, cracks and keygens.
UK A unit of police officers equipped with shields to tackle a riot. The practice, especially among members of shield serials, of 'whooping like cowboys and indians' and beating of truncheons on riot shields must cease as this tends to frighten and intimidate rioters.

verb serials · serialing · serialling · serialed · serialled

transitive to assign a serial number to (especially of aircraft)

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: series, successive, consecutive, sequential, sequent, ordered, asynchronous, nonparallel, serial publication, sequence, order, off-the-shelf, number, production, standard, succession

Translations

Every language

adj Having to do with or arranged in a series

Español	en serie, serial
हिन्दी	क्रमिक kramik
Português	serial
Deutsch	Serien-, seriell
Italiano	seriale
Ελληνικά	σειριακός seiriakós
Română	serial

adj Published or produced in installments

Português	seriado

noun literal work

हिन्दी	सीरियल sīriyal
Português	série, folhetim
Français	feuilleton
Ελληνικά	σειρά seirá

noun publication

Português	série

noun serial number required to activate software

Português	serial
Tiếng Việt	mã kích hoạt

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Cite this

MLA

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

APA

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

Chicago

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

BibTeX

@misc{serial_2026,
  title = {serial},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/serial},
  urldate = {2026-11-05}
}