'coming in regular succession,' 1840, from + (1); popularized in reference to Dickens' novels, published one part at a time in periodicals (as opposed to all at once in a book). Found to be a useful word and given wide application. Serial number, indicating position in a series, first recorded 1866, originally of papers, packages, etc.; of soldiers from 1918. Serial killer is first attested 1981 (in relation to John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy), though serial had been used in connection with murders since the early 1960s. Related: Serially.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Over the course of the series, an uneasy alliance develops, as her intellect and insight into the serial-killer nature prove to be invaluable. — At the retrial in Montgomery County Court, prosecutors portrayed him as a serial predator. — Annnd that she's related to a Jack the Ripper serial killer suspect.
In a report issued by the F.B.I., the definition of a serial killer is that 'there is no single identifiable cause or factor that leads to the development of a serial killer. Rather, there is a multitude of factors that contribute to their development. Serial killer. A person who murders 3+ people over a period of > 30 days, with a n inactive period between each murder, and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification. Prototypic serial killer (US) White; age 30; 97% male; 80% sociopathic.
— But there was no valor predicted in serial draft deferments and dubious medical conditions. — Console hackers yifanlu and madmonkey1907 were among those who were able to dump the PlayStation Classic's code via the system's UART serial port in the days after its release.
— Then, of course, a finger might be cut off a serial criminal as punishment. — Remember this day when the Guardian permitted a serial fabricator to totally destroy the paper's reputation.
— The original series was both an overarching serial narrative as well as featured cases of the week, but that won't be the case in the reboot. — Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The company will also be slashing 40 percent off of its serials on Black Friday. — The company has already forged an impressive track record with serials such as Bookburners, The Witch Who Came In From The Cold, and others. — Photo: Kino Lorber Grace Cunard played equally intrepid heroines in her popular adventure serials.
— By the ’30s, the image-savvy company was a household brand, sponsoring NBC radio serials (and later hiring Saul Bass, the legendary graphic designer known for his striking movie posters and credit sequences, to create its logo). — But your credentials as a government serial cleaner really good. — Each week, Serial Box app users will get a push notification containing a tiny story: no more than 150 words, drawing from the larger pool of authors who have worked on the company’s serials.
— Though his presence loomed large in the world of comics, as his creations went mainstream, Lee became familiar to even those who’d never picked up a weekly serial. — Each new season brings a crop of movies and glossy TV serials dramatizing the heroics of our Special Operations.
— These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'serial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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