chronological

adjective

chro·​no·​log·​i·​cal ˌkrä-nə-ˈlä-ji-kəl How to pronounce chronological (audio)
ˌkrō-
variants or less commonly chronologic
: of, relating to, or arranged in or according to the order of time
chronological tables of American history
His art is arranged in chronological order.
also : reckoned in units of time
chronological age
chronologically adverb

Examples of chronological in a Sentence

His art is displayed in roughly chronological order. a chronological account of their trip
Recent Examples on the Web Here are our 20 representative picks, discussed in chronological order of their release to highlight how the understanding and treatment of time travel in Hollywood has evolved over the decades. Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023 Here, in chronological order, are 10 of our upcoming concert picks for the season, followed by listings for 22 more. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Nov. 2023 This is an oral history told in three parts that follows the chronological order of a typical AR-15 mass shooting. Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023 Opting for a chronological viewing allows fans to understand the official, canonical timeline, starting in 1942 during World War II with Captain America: The First Avenger and spanning through 2025 with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and beyond. Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023 Sun damage, chronological aging, and environmental pollutants can create unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 Nov. 2023 Then the team put all previous bone finds into chronological perspective. Katharina Menne, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2023 The second option is watching in the story’s chronological order, which starts with Captain America: The First Avenger, released in 2011. Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023 The mysteries accumulate in part because the novel is told out of chronological order, beginning with the end — or, at least, an end — and jumping back and forth between various events leading up to it, ramping up the tension and dropping in nuggets of information along the way. Ilana Masad, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chronological.' 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

chonological from chronologic + -al entry 1 or from chronology + -ical; chronologic from chronology + -ic entry 1, probably after French chronologique or New Latin chronologicus

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chronological was in 1614

Dictionary Entries Near chronological

Cite this Entry

“Chronological.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chronological. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

chronological

adjective
chro·​no·​log·​i·​cal ˌkrän-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl How to pronounce chronological (audio)
ˌkrō-nə-
: arranged in or according to the order of time
chronological order
a chronological table
chronologically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on chronological

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!