I. se ‧ ri ‧ al 1 /ˈsɪəriəl $ ˈsɪr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
a story that is broadcast or printed in several separate parts on television, in a magazine etc:
a television serial
a six-part serial
II. serial 2 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
[ Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: series ]
1 . serial killer/murderer etc someone who commits the same crime several times:
a serial rapist
2 . serial killings/murders etc crimes that are done in the same way several times
3 . arranged or happening one after the other in the correct order:
Keep the questions in the same serial order.
4 . printed or broadcast in several separate parts:
cheap serial publications
—serially adverb