sequence

American  

[see-kwuhns] / ˈsi kwəns /

noun

• sequences
  plural

1. the following of one thing after another; succession.

2. order of succession.

   a list of books in alphabetical sequence.

   Synonyms:

   arrangement

3. a continuous or connected series.

   a sonnet sequence.

4. something that follows; a subsequent event; result; consequence.

   Synonyms:

   sequel, outcome

5. Music. a melodic or harmonic pattern repeated three or more times at different pitches with or without modulation.

6. Liturgy. a hymn sometimes sung after the gradual and before the gospel; prose.

7. Movies. a series of related scenes or shots, as those taking place in one locale or at one time, that make up one episode of the film narrative.

8. Cards. a series of three or more cards following one another in order of value, especially of the same suit.

9. Genetics. the linear order of monomers in a polymer, as nucleotides in DNA or amino acids in a protein.

10. Mathematics. a set whose elements have an order similar to that of the positive integers; a map from the positive integers to a given set.

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verb (used with object)

• sequences,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sequenced,
  past participle,  past
• sequencing
  present participle

1. to place in a sequence.

2. Biochemistry. to determine the order of (chemical units in a polymer chain), especially nucleotides in DNA or RNA or amino acids in a protein.

sequence British  

/ ˈsiːkwəns /

noun

1. an arrangement of two or more things in a successive order

2. the successive order of two or more things

   chronological sequence

3. a sequentially ordered set of related things or ideas

4. an action or event that follows another or others

5. 1. cards a set of three or more consecutive cards, usually of the same suit

   2. bridge a set of two or more consecutive cards

6. music an arrangement of notes or chords repeated several times at different pitches

7. maths

   1. an ordered set of numbers or other mathematical entities in one-to-one correspondence with the integers 1 to n

   2. an ordered infinite set of mathematical entities in one-to-one correspondence with the natural numbers

8. a section of a film constituting a single continuous uninterrupted episode

9. biochem the unique order of amino acids in the polypeptide chain of a protein or of nucleotides in the polynucleotide chain of DNA or RNA

10. RC Church another word for prose

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verb

1. to arrange in a sequence

2. biochem to determine the order of the units comprising (a protein, nucleic acid, genome, etc)

sequence Scientific  

/ sē′kwəns /

1. A set of quantities ordered in the same manner as the positive integers, in which there is always the same relation between each quantity and the one succeeding it. A sequence can be finite, such as {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}, or it can be infinite, such as {1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, … 1/n}.

2. Also called progression

3. The order of subunits that make up a polymer, especially the order of nucleotides in a nucleic acid or of the amino acids in a protein.

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1. To determine the order of subunits of a polymer.

Synonym Usage

See series.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undersequence
  noun
• unsequenced
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sequences
  plural

Participles

• sequencing
  present
• sequenced
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sequence
  simple
• sequences
  simple
• have sequenced
  perfect
• has sequenced
  perfect
• am sequencing
  progressive
• are sequencing
  progressive
• is sequencing
  progressive
• have been sequencing
  perfect progressive
• has been sequencing
  perfect progressive

Past

• sequenced
  simple
• had sequenced
  perfect
• was sequencing
  progressive
• were sequencing
  progressive
• had been sequencing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sequence
  simple
• will have sequenced
  perfect
• will be sequencing
  progressive
• will have been sequencing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of sequence

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin sequentia, equivalent to sequ- (stem of sequī “to follow”) + -entia noun suffix; see -ence

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Explanation

When things come in sequence, they come in a specific order. It could be a chronological sequence, a sequence following a pattern (red-blue-brown, red-blue-brown), or a cause-and-effect sequence. Sequence can also be a verb. When you sequence something, you put it in order. The prom committee had the task of sequencing dance music––even if playing "Celebrate" as the final dance and not the first felt out of sequence to the DJ, it was their call.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sequence sequences sequenced sequencing

Advancements in AI models have transformed how robots learn, allowing them to more accurately predict the next sequence of joint movements needed to lift a cup or pick up a broom.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

A dance sequence is filmed in a showy single shot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The sequence of events on the evening of 30 September was pieced together by US media using a combination of emergency call recordings and transcripts.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Their recording capacity is limited, and because the marks are not necessarily created in a fixed sequence, scientists must attempt to reconstruct the order of events afterward.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

It doesn’t matter where the placeholder 0 sits; it can be anywhere in the number sequence.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

In time Mr. Quan pivoted successfully to choreographing action sequences for film and television before deciding at almost 50 that he wanted to return to acting.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The company’s press release goes into more detail, but basically says that Claude was prompted to search through a massive database of DNA sequences for reverse transcriptases, enzymes that copy RNA into DNA.

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026

The fight sequences have an engaging messiness, the characters often fumbling around rather than delivering expert moves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

As part of the work, researchers generated genetic sequences for several species that had never been sequenced before.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 25, 2026

Ifemelu sometimes sensed, underneath the well-oiled sequences of Kimberly s life, a flash of regret not only for things she longed for in the present but for things she had longed for in the past.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Scientists initially sequenced three genes commonly used to identify and classify corals.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

A patient’s tumor is surgically removed and then sequenced, allowing researchers to figure out which mutated proteins are expressed on the cancer cells.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

The tumor has to be sequenced to identify the mutations the vaccine should target.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

They developed "sequenced steps and timelines" while also committing to "flexibility and creativity", the statement said.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

Behind the wall is a world of dark lines and streaks of light, sequenced into detailed patterns.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

That’s a tricky decision to make, because the criteria for impactful album sequencing are not at all the same for a live show.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

British chemists Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman, for their contribution to next-generation DNA sequencing, could be honoured, according to the science journalist.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

The samples are prepared for loading into a shoebox-sized sequencing machine made by Oxford Nanopore, which uses specialist software developed at the University of Nottingham, in partnership with hospital clinicians.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

The startup, Pilgrim, has built a 50-pound tripod-mounted hardware device called Argus that is packed with sensors that combines air sampling and genomic sequencing to detect biological threats, like Ebola or anthrax.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

They are listening, analyzing, visualizing, sequencing, and applying concentrated brainwork to understand what they are singing.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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Related Words

• arrangement
• array
• progression
• string

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