chronology
Americannoun
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the sequential order in which past events occur.
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a statement of this order.
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the science of arranging time in periods and ascertaining the dates and historical order of past events.
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a reference work organized according to the dates of events.
noun
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the determination of the proper sequence of past events
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the arrangement of dates, events, etc, in order of occurrence
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a table or list of events arranged in order of occurrence
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of chronology
Explanation
A chronology is like a timeline: it tells what happened when. A chronology of your day would begin when you wake up and end when you go to sleep. Hopefully, something interesting happened in between. Khronos is the Greek word for "time" and that's where chronology comes from. If a movie has a lot of flashbacks or doesn't tell a story straight through from beginning to end, you might have to give it some thought in order to put together a chronology of events. If you are a detective, a correct chronology could be important to solving your case.
Vocabulary lists containing chronology
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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It's About Time: Chron and Temp
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Did You Planet? Words With Surprisingly Spacey Origins
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The Chronology of Water,” on the other hand, is a wholly unforgettable turn for Stewart, who lets her actors do all the storytelling while she remains laser-focused on exploring artful and stylish new storytelling modes.
From Salon • Jan. 1, 2026
And also looking to make noise is the Forge, with its biggest acquisition to date, Kristen Stewart’s “The Chronology of Water.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025
The Twilight star, who directed forthcoming film The Chronology of Water, delivered an impassioned speech at a women's luncheon in Los Angeles hosted by the organisation behind the Oscars.
From BBC • Nov. 5, 2025
The researchers found that their technique lined up with an understanding of the kings' reigns known to archaeologists as the "Low Chronology."
From Science Daily • Dec. 18, 2023
Chronology, so the saying goes, is the last refuge of the feebleminded and only resort for historians.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
