chronology

noun

chro·​nol·​o·​gy krə-ˈnä-lə-jē 

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.

Synonyms

• account
• chronicle
• commentary
• commentaries
• history
• narration
• narrative
• record
• report
• story

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

Using a scrambled chronology and stories within stories, Kang attempts to stage an epic cyclical history of a war-prone land called the Realm of the Grand Circle. —Stephen Kearse, Washington Post, 17 July 2024

According to the court’s chronology: Hennig started working at Money Metals in May 2022. —Elena Gastaldo, Idaho Statesman, 11 July 2024

Some have traveled from Israel and provided videos and text messages to help authorities build a chronology of the attack and identify who carried out the kidnappings. —Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 9 July 2024

Black hopes to expand his climate chronologies and create a 1,000-year history of climate in the north Pacific using clam rings. —Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 19 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

chronology

noun

chro·​nol·​o·​gy krə-ˈnäl-ə-jē 

plural chronologies

1

: the science that deals with measuring time and dating events

2

: a chronological table or list

chronologist

-jəst

noun