serially

UK: /ˈsɪərɪəlɪ/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

se•ri•al /ˈsɪriəl/   n. [countable]

1. anything published, broadcast, etc., in parts at regular times.
2. Library Science a publication, as an annual report, released or printed in successive parts.

adj. [usually: before a noun]

3. published or presented in sequential parts:
   a serial story.
4. Sociology of or relating to a series:
   the serial numbers on the checks.
5. Sociology occurring in a series, one after another:
   serial murders.
6. responsible for a series of specified actions, esp. crimes:
   a serial killer.
7. Computing of or relating to the transfer of electronic data in a stream of sequential pieces of information:
   a serial printer attached to the serial port.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

se•ri•al  (sēr′ē əl), 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. 

3. published in installments or successive parts:
   a serial story.
4. pertaining to such publication.
5. Sociology of, pertaining to, consisting of, or occurring in a series rather than simultaneously:
   Some societies condemn both polygamy and serial marriages.
6. Sociology effecting or producing a series;
   sequential:
   The police think a serial killer is responsible for five homicides in this city last month.
7. Computing
   • Computing of or pertaining to the apparent or actual performance of data-processing operations one at a time (distinguished from parallel).
   • Computing 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, Music and Dance of, pertaining to, or composed in serial technique.

• Neo-Latin seriālis. See series, -al¹
• 1835–45

se′ri•al•ly, adv.