serial
n. countablen. a story that is told in several parts over a period of time. You might see it as a series of TV episodes or read it in a magazine.
n. a work of fiction or a radio or television program appearing in successive parts. Often used to describe a narrative published in installments in a periodical.
The new detective serial starts on television tonight.
Many famous nineteenth-century novels were first published as a weekly serial in popular literary magazines.
The author gained a massive following by releasing her latest thriller as a digital serial, ensuring that readers remained engaged through weekly cliffhangers and community discussions.
Formed as series + -al, on model of Latin seriālis, from seriēs + -ālis. Cognate to Italian seriale. First use appears c. 1823. See cite below.
Commonly used to describe television dramas or radio plays that follow a continuous plot across multiple episodes.