Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Serial \Se"ri*al\, a.
   1. Of or pertaining to a series; consisting of a series;
      appearing in successive parts or numbers; as, a serial
      work or publication. ``Classification . . . may be more or
      less serial.'' --H. Spencer.

   2. (Bot.) Of or pertaining to rows. --Gray.

   {Serial homology}. (Biol.) See under {Homology}.

   {Serial symmetry}. (Biol.) See under {Symmetry}.

Serial \Se"ri*al\, n.
   A publication appearing in a series or succession of part; a
   tale, or other writing, published in successive numbers of a
   periodical.

Source : WordNet®

serial
     adj 1: in regular succession without gaps; "serial concerts" [syn:
            {consecutive}, {sequent}, {sequential}, {successive}]
     2: pertaining to or composed in serial technique; "serial
        music"
     3: pertaining to or occurring in or producing a series; "serial
        monogamy"; "serial killing"; "a serial killer"; "serial
        publication"
     4: of or relating to the sequential performance of multiple
        operations; "serial processing" [syn: {in series(p)}, {nonparallel}]

serial
     n 1: a serialized set of programs; "a comedy series"; "the
          Masterworks concert series" [syn: {series}]
     2: a periodical that appears at scheduled times [syn: {series},
         {serial publication}]