chronology

noun

chro·​nol·​o·​gy krə-ˈnä-lə-jē How to pronounce chronology (audio)
plural chronologies
1
: the science that deals with measuring time by regular divisions and that assigns to events their proper dates
2
: a chronological table, list, or account
a chronology of the author's works
3
: an arrangement (as of events) in order of occurrence
reconstruct the chronology of the trip
The book provides a chronology of events leading up to the American Civil War.

Did you know?

History is much more than a simple chronology of events, but keeping events in chronological order is the first essential step in thinking about it. When, for example, historians try to show how World War I prepared the way for World War II, tracking the chronology of the events in the years between the two wars can help in explaining a complicated historical era.

Examples of chronology in a Sentence

We tried to reconstruct the chronology of the accident. The book provides a chronology of the events leading up to the American Civil War.
Recent Examples on the Web Even though the show itself tells (in reverse chronology) the story of three old friends caught in a decades-long spiral of betrayal and compromise, this Stephen Sondheim musical has made a wonderful recovery from its disastrous premiere production in 1981. Christian Holub, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2023 The Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A chronology Israel controlled Gaza for 38 years, building up 21 Jewish settlements in that period. Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2023 Using dendrochronology techniques, Black has made chronologies of climate shifts in the north Pacific over the last 500 years. The Arizona Republic, 19 Feb. 2024 The exhibition, organized by the museum’s artistic director, María Esther Fernández, is divided into four loosely thematic sections, rather than unfolding in a strict chronology. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024 The one clear marker of a forward chronology are the title cards that announce the changing seasons. Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 30 Jan. 2024 This is because tusks grow as the species ages; when a tusk is split lengthwise, researchers see visible layers that distinguish different slices in the chronology of a mammoth’s life. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2024 Everything else, from the chronology to what was or was not included within a two-hour timeframe, could be left to chance. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2024 The other challenge was how to bring order to it with no main characters, no conflict, and no chronology. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 12 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chronology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin chronologia, from chrono- chrono- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chronology was in 1585

Dictionary Entries Near chronology

Cite this Entry

“Chronology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chronology. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chronology

noun
chro·​nol·​o·​gy krə-ˈnäl-ə-jē How to pronounce chronology (audio)
plural chronologies
1
: the science that deals with measuring time and dating events
2
: a chronological table or list
chronologist
-jəst
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chronology

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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