Dictionary
se•ri•al
Pronunciation: (sēr'ē-ul), [key]—
n.
1. anything published, broadcast, etc., in short installments at regular intervals, as a novel appearing in successive issues of a magazine.
2. Library Science.a publication in any medium issued in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designation and intended to be continued indefinitely.
—
adj.
1. published in installments or successive parts:
a serial story.
2. pertaining to such publication.
3. of, pertaining to, consisting of, or occurring in a series rather than simultaneously:
Some societies condemn both polygamy and serial marriages.
4. effecting or producing a series; sequential:
The police think a serial killer is responsible for five homicides in this city last month.
5. Computers.
a. of or pertaining to the apparent or actual performance of data-processing operations one at a time (distinguished from
parallel).
b. of or pertaining to the transmission or processing of each part of a whole in sequence, as each bit of a byte or each byte of a computer word (distinguished from
parallel).
6. Music.of, pertaining to, or composed in serial technique.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
