An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. Math.: A sequence of numbers or mathematical expressions such as the n-th term may be written down in general form, and any particular term (say, the r-th) may be obtained by substituting r for n; e.g. xⁿ is the general term of the series 1, x, x², x³, …, xⁿ.
   

2. Electricity: An arrangement of the components, as resistors, connected along a single path, so the same current flows through all of the components. Compare → parallel.
   

3. → spectral series; → Lyman-alpha series.

Etymology (EN): From L. series “row, chain, series,” from serere “to join, link, bind together,” from PIE base *ser- “to line up, join.”

Etymology (PE): Seri, loan from Fr., as above.
Rise “string, thread, series,” variant of rešte, → sequence.