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Origin and history of series

series(n.)

1610s, "a number or set of things of one kind arranged in a line, a continued succession of similar things," also of events following in order, from Latin series "row, chain, series, sequence, succession," from serere "to join, link, bind together, arrange, attach, put; join in speech, discuss" (from PIE root *ser- (2) "to line up"). The earlier word was serie "sequence of thoughts, discussion of a subject" (late 14c.).

The meaning "set of printed works published consecutively and having something in common" is from 1711. The meaning "set of radio or television programs with the same characters and themes" is attested from 1949. The baseball sense of "set of games on consecutive days between the same teams" is from 1862.

also from 1610s

Entries linking to series

Laertes

king of Ithaca, father of Odysseus, his name is Greek, literally "gatherer of the people," or "urging the men," from laos "people" (see lay (adj.)) + eirein "to fasten together" (see series (n.)) or eirein "to speak, say" (see verb).

mini-series(n.)

also miniseries "television series of short duration and on a single theme," 1971, from mini- + series.

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serial
"arranged or disposed in a rank or row; forming part of a series; coming in regular succession," 1840, from series + -al (1). French sérial also seems to originate around 1840. Popularized in English in reference to Dickens' novels, which were first published over time in periodi
seriously
c. 1500, "in a serious manner, with serious thought or application," from serious (adj.) + -ly (2). By 1765 as "to a serious extent, so as to give grounds for alarm." To take (something) seriously "be earnest in one's attitude toward" is from 1782. Middle English also had serious
scale
[standard of measure or estimation] late 14c., "series of registering marks; marks laid down to determine distance along...The meaning "succession or series of steps ascending or descending" is from c. 1600; that of "standard for estimation" (large...The musical sense of "definite and standard series of tones within a certain range," typically an octave (1590s), and the...
rally
Sports sense of "long series of hits from one side to the other" in tennis, etc., is from 1881, earlier "series of back-and-forth...
bone
especially in bone up "study," 1880s student slang, probably from or reinforced by "Bohn's Classical Library," the popular series...in higher education published by German-born English publisher Henry George Bohn (1796-1884) as part of a broad series of...
operation
The surgical sense of "act or series of acts performed upon a patient's body," usually with instruments, is first attested...The military sense of "act of carrying out a preconcerted series of movements" is by 1749....
Gondwana
The name was extended by geologists to a series of sedimentary rocks found there (1873), then to identical rocks in other...Because the fossils found in this series were used by geologists to reconstruct the map of the supercontinent which broke...
progression
late 14c., progressioun, "action of moving from one condition to another," from Old French progression and directly from Latin progressionem (nominative progressio) "a going forward, advancement, growth, increase," noun of action from past-participle stem of progredi "go forward,
order
c. 1200, "body of persons living under a religious discipline," from Old French ordre "position, estate; rule, regulation; religious order" (11c.), from earlier ordene, from Latin ordinem (nominative ordo) "row, line, rank; series, pattern, arrangement, routine," originally "a ro
installment
also instalment, 1580s, "induction into office, act of installing," from install + -ment...."a partial payment on account of debt due," 1776, earlier "the arrangement of payment" (1732), an alteration of Anglo-French estaler "to fix payments," from Old French estal "fixed positio

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