chronology

IPA/krəˈnɒlədʒi/
KK[krənˈɑlədʒi]IPA/krəˈnɑːlədʒi/

chronology — noun

  • chronologysingular
  • chronologiesplural

1. the sequence of past events, or a timeline that sets those events out from earli

1.nounC1
Definition

the sequence of past events, or a timeline that sets those events out from earliest to latest.

Example

The museum wall showed the chronology of the city's growth from fishing port to capital.

chronology of + historical development

A timeline helped Omar check the chronology of the case before the debate.

check the chronology before explaining events

Common collocations
  • the chronology of events
  • establish the chronology
  • mix up the chronology
Synonyms
  • sequence

    focuses on order, without necessarily suggesting a written record

  • timeline

    often means a visual or written display of events in order

  • order

    more general and less formal than chronology

Antonyms
  • disorder

    suggests events are not arranged in a clear sequence

Grammar Patterns

chronology of + events/person's life/topic

Usage Note

Often appears in phrases like 'the chronology of the case' or 'mix up the chronology'. It can mean either the actual order of events or a written timeline showing that order.

Common Mistakes

Please check the chronology to see which day is free.
Please check the calendar to see which day is free.
chronology is an ordered record of events, not a schedule of future dates.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Chronology, timeline, sequence, and order all deal with what happened first, next, and last, but they are not exact equals. Chronology is the most formal and often points either to the actual sequence of past events or to a record that lays those events out clearly. A timeline usually means a chart, list, or visual display. Sequence stresses arrangement step by step, while order is the broad everyday word. A historian may reconstruct the chronology of a war, then present it in a classroom timeline. If you say the chronology is confusing, you mean the events no longer make sense in time.

chronology ↗timeline ↗sequence ↗order ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • event chronology
  • war chronology

Phrases

  • establish the chronology
  • rebuild the chronology
  • mix up the chronology

Prepositions

  • chronology of

Etymology

GreekLate LatinFrenchEnglish

Chronology comes from Greek parts meaning 'time' and 'account or study'. It passed through Late Latin and French before entering English. The word first referred to the study of dates and time order, and from that it developed the common modern meaning of the sequence of events or a record that sets them out in time order.

First known use

1585

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1