sequence

Word family

• sequential
  adjectiveB2
• sequentially
  adverbB2
• sequencing
  nounC1
• sequent
  adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe multiple items connected in some way, but they emphasise different aspects. 'Sequence' stresses the order in which items follow one another — a meaningful, often planned progression (e.g., 'the sequence of steps in a recipe'). 'Series' focuses on the group itself as a collection of related items, without necessarily implying a fixed order (e.g., 'a series of lectures'). 'Order' is the most general term for arrangement, used both for physical placement and abstract ranking (e.g., 'alphabetical order'). 'Chain' suggests direct cause-and-effect links where each link is tightly connected to the next (e.g., 'a chain of events'). 'Progression' implies forward movement or development through stages, often toward a goal (e.g., 'career progression'). For everyday use, 'order' is the simplest and most versatile. When you need to highlight a planned, step-by-step arrangement where each step follows logically from the last, 'sequence' is the precise choice.

Common collocations

Etymology

The word comes from Latin 'sequī' meaning "to follow." In classical Latin, 'sequentia' referred to "a following" or "a succession" — the noun form of the verb. It entered English through Old French 'sequence' in the late 1300s, originally used for a hymn sung after the biblical reading in church (a "sequence" because it followed the lesson). By the 1500s it had broadened to mean any ordered series. The genetics and computing senses are modern additions from the mid-1900s.