serial number

American  

noun

serial numbers plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• serial numbers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of serial number

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

When a rare bottle has a serial number to trace its origin, a buyer on the secondary market likely won’t see it until the purchase is complete.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

But collectors and watch scholars have noted that the timepiece in question featured a serial number that dated it to 1965.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025

Hochman said the weapon Sepulveda allegedly used was a so-called “ghost gun,” which did not have a serial number.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2025

The superintendent would exchange the old policy for a new one which was identical in color, serial number, and beneficiary, but which carried much smaller payments.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright