consecutive

consecutive
consecutive, successive, sequent, sequential, serial are comparable when meaning following one after the other in order. Consecutive and successive apply to objects which follow one another without interruption or break.
But consecutive is somewhat more emphatic, stressing the immediacy of the succession, the regularity or fixedness of the order, and the close connection (as in time, space, or logic) of the units while successive is applicable to things that follow regardless of differences (as in duration, extent, or size) or of the length of the interval between the units; thus, one would speak of nine, ten, and eleven as consecutive numbers since they follow one another in immediate and regular order, but of flashing the successive numbers three, eleven, and nine on a screen since the order would then be neither immediate nor regular; one would speak of successive (not consecutive) leap years since the order though regular is not immediate and of successive strokes of a piston since, though immediate, it need not be regular
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the most important cause . . . has run throughout our post-Conquest history like a consecutive thread— Coulton

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the product of the successive labors of innumerable men— Mumford

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Consecutive is also applicable to a person or to thought that manifests logical sequence
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consecutive thinking absolutely requires personal initiative— Eliot

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Sequent and sequential apply to an arrangement or to things (sometimes a thing) following a sequence (as a causal, logical, or chronological sequence) or some settled order
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the events of the narrative do not follow in sequent order

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the galleys have sent a dozen sequent messengers this very night at one another's heels— Shak.

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changes which proceed with sequential regularity

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combination of two sequential courses into one— Pressey

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Serial implies that the thing or things so qualified form a series or will appear as a series; it therefore suggests likeness or uniformity in the units and, usually, a prearranged order especially in time or space
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the fifth of the serial concerts

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from the publisher's point of view mystery stories make good serial narratives

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wrote her a serial account of his adventures— Krutch

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Analogous words: following, succeeding, ensuing (see FOLLOW): continuous, *continual, incessant: coherent (see corresponding noun COHERENCE): *logical
Antonyms: inconsecutive
Contrasted words: alternate, *intermittent, recurrent, periodic: desultory, *random, haphazard, hit-or-miss

New Dictionary of Synonyms. 2014.

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  • Consecutive — Con*sec u*tive, a. [Cf. F. cons[ e]cutif. See {Consequent}.] 1. Following in a train; succeeding one another in a regular order; successive; uninterrupted in course or succession; with no interval or break; as, fifty consecutive years. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • consecutive — con·sec·u·tive adj: following one after the other in order con·sec·u·tive·ly adv Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. consecutive …   Law dictionary

  • consecutive — UK US /kənˈsekjʊtɪv/ adjective ► used to describe events, numbers, etc. that follow one after another without an interruption: »Interest rates have been held at the same level for the tenth consecutive month …   Financial and business terms

  • consecutive — [kən sek′yo͞o tiv, kən sek′yətiv] adj. [Fr consécutif < ML consecutivus < pp. of L consequi: see CONSEQUENCE] 1. following in order, without interruption; successive [for four consecutive days] 2. proceeding from one part or idea to the… …   English World dictionary

  • consecutive — 1610s, from Fr. consécutif (16c.), from M.L. consecutivus, from L. consecutus following closely, pp. of consequi (see CONSEQUENCE (Cf. consequence)). Related: Consecutively …   Etymology dictionary

  • consecutive — [adj] in sequence after, chronological, connected, constant, continuing, continuous, ensuing, following, going on, increasing, in order, in turn, later, logical, numerical, one after another, progressive, running, sequent, sequential, serial,… …   New thesaurus

  • consecutive — ► ADJECTIVE 1) following in unbroken or logical sequence. 2) Grammar expressing consequence or result. DERIVATIVES consecutively adverb. ORIGIN Latin consecutivus, from consequi follow closely …   English terms dictionary

  • consecutive — 01. The teacher had to speak to the student after he was late for class for three [consecutive] days. 02. The Montreal Canadiens hockey team won four [consecutive] Stanley Cups between 1956 and 1960, and four more [consecutive] championships from …   Grammatical examples in English

  • consécutive — ● consécutif, consécutive adjectif (latin consecutus, de consequi, suivre) Se dit de plusieurs choses qui se suivent sans interruption dans le temps : Dormir dix heures consécutives. Qui est le résultat, la conséquence de quelque chose : L… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Consecutive — Wikipedia does not have an encyclopedia article for Consecutive (search results). You may want to read Wiktionary s entry on consecutive instead.wiktionary:Special:Search/consecutive …   Wikipedia

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