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Origin and history of sequence

sequence(n.)

late 14c., in church music, a composition said or sung after the Alleluia and before the Gospel, from Old French sequence "answering verses" (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin sequentia "a following, a succession," from Latin sequentem (nominative sequens), present participle of sequi "to follow" (from PIE root *sekw- (1) "to follow").

In Church use, a partial loan-translation of Greek akolouthia, from akolouthos "following." By 1570s in the general sense of "a series of things following in a certain order, a succession," also in cards, "a run of three or more consecutive numbers of the same suit." By 1580s as "order of succession." In biochemistry in reference to nucleic acids, by 1959.

sequence(v.)

"arrange in a sequence," 1954, in computing, from sequence (n.). In biochemistry by 1970. Related: Sequenced; sequencing.

also from 1954

Entries linking to sequence

sequential(adj.)

"that follows as a sequence, being in succession," 1816, from Late Latin sequentia (see sequence) + -al (1). Related: Sequentially.

*sekw-(1)

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to follow."

It might form all or part of: associate; association; consequence; consequent; dissociate; ensue; execute; extrinsic; intrinsic; obsequious; persecute; persecution; prosecute; pursue; second (adj.) "next after first;" second (n.) "one-sixtieth of a minute;" sect; secundine; segue; sequacious; sequel; sequence; sequester; sociable; social; society; socio-; subsequent; sue; suit; suite; suitor; tocsin.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit sacate "accompanies, follows;" Avestan hacaiti, Greek hepesthai "to follow;" Latin sequi "to follow, come after," secundus "second, the following;" Lithuanian seku, sekti "to follow;" Old Irish sechim "I follow."

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    episode
    1670s, "commentary between two choric songs in a Greek tragedy," also "an incidental narrative or digression within a story, poem, etc.," from French épisode or directly from Greek epeisodion "an episode," literally "an addition," noun use of neuter of epeisodios "coming in besid
    succession
    early 14c., successioun, "fact or right of succeeding someone by inheritance," from Old French succession "inheritance; a following on" (13c.) and directly from Latin successionem (nominative successio) "a following after, a coming into another's place, result," noun of action fr
    consecution
    early 15c., "attainment;" 1530s, "proceeding in argument from one proposition to another in logical sequence," from Latin...Meaning "any succession or sequence" is from 1650s....
    ordinary
    c. 1400, ordinarie, "regular, customary, belonging to the usual order or course, conformed to a regulated sequence or arrangement...19c., are now largely extinct except in out of the ordinary (1893) in which the sense of ordinary is "established or due sequence...
    series
    line, a continued succession of similar things," also of events following in order, from Latin series "row, chain, series, sequence...The earlier word was serie "sequence of thoughts, discussion of a subject" (late 14c.)....
    invert
    "to turn (something) in an opposite direction; reverse the position, order, or sequence of," 1530s, from French invertir...
    repetition
    early 15c., repeticioun, "act of saying over again," from Old French repetition and directly from Latin repetitionem (nominative repetitio) "a repeating," noun of action from past-participle stem of repetere "do or say again" (see repeat (v.)). Of actions or events recurring or d
    rate
    early 15c., "estimated value or worth, proportional estimation according to some standard; monetary amount; a proportional part," from Old French rate "price, value" and directly from Medieval Latin rata (pars) "fixed (amount)," from Latin rata "fixed, settled," fem. past partici
    tear
    "fluid drop from the eye," Old English tear "tear, drop, nectar, what is distilled in drops," from earlier teahor, tæhher, from Proto-Germanic *tahr-, *tagr- (source also of Old Norse, Old Frisian tar, Old High German zahar, German Zähre, Gothic tagr "tear"), from PIE *dakru- (so

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