Standard Lemma guide

serialize

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈsɪɹiəlaɪz/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɪəɹiəlaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S IH1 R IY2 AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To write a television program, novel, or other form of entertainment as a sequence of shorter works with a common story.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To publish (a book, play, etc.) in regular instalments, e.g. in a magazine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To convert an object into a sequence of bytes that can later be converted back into an object with equivalent properties.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

arrange serially

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Serialize the numbers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: serialise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: arrange, set up

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English serial Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English serialize From serial + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 連載 /连载 (liánzǎi) — write entertainment as a sequence of shorter works
  • Spanish: serializar — write entertainment as a sequence of shorter works
  • Spanish: seriar — write entertainment as a sequence of shorter works
  • Catalan: serialitzar — convert an object into a byte sequence that can be converted back
  • Chinese Mandarin: 序列化 (xùlièhuà) — convert an object into a byte sequence that can be converted back
  • Finnish: sarjallistaa — convert an object into a byte sequence that can be converted back
  • French: sérialiser — convert an object into a byte sequence that can be converted back
  • German: serialisieren — convert an object into a byte sequence that can be converted back
  • Spanish: serializar — convert an object into a byte sequence that can be converted back
  • Spanish: seriar — convert an object into a byte sequence that can be converted back