different between sequence vs plethora

English

Etymology

From Middle English sequence, borrowed from French sequence (“a sequence of cards, answering verses”), from Late Latin sequentia (“a following”), from Latin sequens (“following”), from sequi (“to follow”); see sequent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?si?kw?ns/

Noun

sequence (countable and uncountable, plural sequences)

1. A set of things next to each other in a set order; a series
2. (uncountable) The state of being sequent or following; order of succession.

   Complete the listed tasks in sequence.

3. A series of musical phrases where a theme or melody is repeated, with some change each time, such as in pitch or length (example: opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony).
4. A musical composition used in some Catholic Masses between the readings. The most famous sequence is the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) formerly used in funeral services.
5. (mathematics) An ordered list of objects, typically indexed with natural numbers.
6. (now rare) A subsequent event; a consequence or result.
   • 1891, Mary Noailles Murfree, In the "Stranger People's" Country, Nebraska 2005, pp. 12-13:

     he found no words to convey the impressions he had received; then he gave way to the anger always the sequence of the antagonism of opinion between them.

7. A series of shots that depict a single action or style in a film, television show etc.
8. (card games) A meld consisting of three or more cards of successive ranks in the same suit, such as the four, five and six of hearts.

Usage notes

• (mathematics): Beginning students often confuse sequence with series.

Synonyms

• (a set of things next to each other in a set order): See Thesaurus:sequence

Hypernyms

• (mathematics): function

Hyponyms

• presequence
• (computing): escape sequence

Meronyms

• (mathematics): term

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

sequence (third-person singular simple present sequences, present participle sequencing, simple past and past participle sequenced)

1. (transitive) to arrange in an order
2. (transitive, biochemistry) to determine the order of things, especially of amino acids in a protein, or of bases in a nucleic acid
3. (transitive) to produce (music) with a sequencer

Translations

References

Further reading

• sequence in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• sequence in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Late Latin pl?th?ra, from Ancient Greek ??????? (pl?th?r?, “fullness, satiety”), from ????? (pl?th?, “to be full”) +? -? (-?, nominal suffix).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: pl??th?r?, pl??dh?r?, pl?thô?r?, IPA^(key): /?pl?????/, /?pl?ð???/, /pl???????/
• (General American) enPR: pl??th?r?, IPA^(key): /?pl?????/
• Rhymes: -????

Noun

plethora (plural plethorae or plethoras)

1. (usually followed by of) An excessive amount or number; an abundance.
   • 1817, Francis Jeffrey, review of Lalla Rookh, in the Edinburgh Review

     He labours under a plethora of wit and imagination.

   • 1849, Herman Melville, Redburn. His First Voyage

     I pushed my seat right up before the most insolent gazer, a short fat man, with a plethora of cravat round his neck, and fixing my gaze on his, gave him more gazes than he sent.

   • 1927, H.P. Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature (The Aftermath of Gothic Fiction)

     Meanwhile other hands had not been idle, so that above the dreary plethora of trash like Marquis von Grosse's Horrid Mysteries..., there arose many memorable weird works both in English and German.

   • 1986, Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin, Randy Newman, ¡Three Amigos! (film)

     Jefe: We have many beautiful piñatas for your birthday celebration, each one filled with little surprises!

     El Guapo: How many piñatas?

     Jefe: Many piñatas, many!

     El Guapo: Jefe, would you say I have a plethora of piñatas?

     Jefe: A what?

     El Guapo: A plethora.

     Jefe: Oh yes, El Guapo. You have a plethora.

     El Guapo: Jefe, what is a plethora?

     Jefe: Why, El Guapo?

     El Guapo: Well, you just told me that I had a plethora, and I would just like to know if you know what it means to have a plethora. I would not like to think that someone would tell someone else he has a plethora, and then find out that that person has no idea what it means to have a plethora.

     Jefe: El Guapo, I know that I, Jefe, do not have your superior intellect and education, but could it be that once again, you are angry at something else, and are looking to take it out on me?
2. (medicine) Chronic excess of blood in the skin, usually in the face.

Synonyms

• (excess, abundance): glut, myriad, surfeit, superfluity, slew

Related terms

• plethoric

Translations

See also

• myriad

References

• “plethora” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2^nd Ed.; 1989]
  Pronounced: /?pl???r?/, /pl?????r?/.

Anagrams

• Althorpe, traphole, tropheal

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ??????? (pl?th?r?, “fullness, satiety”), from ????? (pl?th?, “to be full”) +? -? (-?, nominal suffix).

Pronunciation

(Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ple?to.ra/, [pl??t?????]

Noun

pl?th?ra f (genitive pl?th?rae); first declension

1. (Late Latin) plethora

Inflection

First-declension noun.

Descendants

• ? English: plethora