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serial

 - 3 dictionary results

se⋅ri⋅al

  [seer-ee-uhl]
Use serial in a Sentence
–noun
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.
–adjective
3. published in installments or successive parts: a serial story.
4. pertaining to such publication.
5. of, pertaining to, consisting of, or occurring in a series rather than simultaneously: Some societies condemn both polygamy and serial marriages.
6. effecting or producing a series; sequential: The police think a serial killer is responsible for five homicides in this city last month.
7. 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 ).
8. Music. of, pertaining to, or composed in serial technique.
Origin:
1835–45; < NL seriālis. See series, -al 1

Related forms:
se⋅ri⋅al⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To serial
se·ri·al   (sîr'ē-əl)   
adj.  

  1. Of, forming, or arranged in a series.

    1. Published or produced in installments, as a novel or television drama.

    2. Relating to such publication or production.

    3. Of or relating to the sequential transmission of all the bits of a byte over one wire: a serial port; a serial printer.

    4. Of or relating to the sequential performance of multiple operations: serial processing.

  3. Responsible for a series of usually criminal acts over a period of time: a serial arsonist.

  4. Music Relating to or based on a row of tones, especially the 12 pitches of the chromatic scale.

  5. Computer Science

    1. Of or relating to the sequential transmission of all the bits of a byte over one wire: a serial port; a serial printer.

    2. Of or relating to the sequential performance of multiple operations: serial processing.

n.  A literary or dramatic work published or produced in installments.
se'ri·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Computing Dictionary

serial
1. serial communications
2. serial processor.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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