Etymograph

English

sequence

Sequence comes from Middle English sequence, from Old French sequence, from Late Latin sequentia ‘a following’, from sequor ‘to follow’, ultimately from PIE *sekʷ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequoras sequī‘to follow’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequēns‘following’
  6. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsequentia‘a following’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400sequence‘a sequence of cards, answering verses’
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1891same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequoras sequī‘to follow’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequēns‘following’
  6. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsequentia‘a following’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400sequence‘a sequence of cards, answering verses’
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1891same form

Earliest quotation: 1891, Mary Noailles Murfree, In the "Stranger People's" Country: “he found no words to convey the impressions he…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’

say, see, second, social, saw, society, executive, sight, associate, suite, sue, saga, subsequent, intrinsic, consequently, dissociation, extrinsic, dissociate, seg, 35 more

through Proto-Italic *sekʷōr ‘to follow, come/go after’

pursuit, suitor, 17 more

through Latin sequor ‘to follow’

suit, pursue, consecutive, execute, prosecution, persecution, sect, executor, persecute, ensue, consequent, segue, sequitur, 19 more

Today it means

noun A set of things next to each other in a set order; a series.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / sequence

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