serial number

American  

noun

1. a number, usually one of a series, assigned for identification.

   the serial number of an automobile engine.

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serial number British  

noun

1. any of the consecutive numbers assigned to machines, tools, books, etc

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Etymology

Origin of serial number

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The department said Sun, the contractor, would use hair dryers to remove and stick labels and serial number tags to the server boxes and dummy servers, which were captured on surveillance cameras.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Each bears a unique serial number and since 1950, winners have been prohibited from selling them on the open market without first offering them back to the organization for one dollar.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

“There’s no unique serial number on a load of lobster meat,” Burroughs said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

The code is essentially the phone's serial number.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2025

He felt like he was under attack the second he walked in the door, and so didn’t tell them anything except his name, rank, and serial number.

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar