The difference between Parallel and Series

When used as nouns, parallel means one of a set of parallel lines, whereas series means a number of things that follow on one after the other or are connected one after the other.

When used as adjectives, parallel means equally distant from one another at all points, whereas series means connected one after the other in a circuit.


Parallel is also adverb with the meaning: with a parallel relationship.

Parallel is also verb with the meaning: to construct or place something parallel to something else.

check bellow for the other definitions of Parallel and Series

  1. Parallel as an adjective:

    Equally distant from one another at all points.

    Examples:

    "The horizontal lines on my notebook paper are parallel."

  2. Parallel as an adjective:

    Having the same overall direction; the comparison is indicated with "to".

    Examples:

    "The two railway lines are parallel."

  3. Parallel as an adjective (hyperbolic geometry, said of a pair of lines):

    Either not intersecting, or coinciding.

  4. Parallel as an adjective (computing):

    Involving the processing of multiple tasks at the same time.

    Examples:

    "a parallel algorithm"

  1. Parallel as an adverb:

    With a parallel relationship.

    Examples:

    "The road runs parallel to the canal."

  1. Parallel as a noun:

    One of a set of parallel lines.

  2. Parallel as a noun:

    Direction conformable to that of another line.

  3. Parallel as a noun:

    A line of latitude.

    Examples:

    "The 31st parallel passes through the center of my town."

  4. Parallel as a noun:

    An arrangement of electrical components such that a current flows along two or more paths; see in parallel.

  5. Parallel as a noun:

    Something identical or similar in essential respects.

  6. Parallel as a noun:

    A comparison made; elaborate tracing of similarity.

    Examples:

    "Johnson's parallel between Dryden and Pope"

  7. Parallel as a noun (military):

    One of a series of long trenches constructed before a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress.

  8. Parallel as a noun (printing):

    A character consisting of two parallel vertical lines, used in the text to direct attention to a similarly marked note in the margin or at the foot of a page.

  1. Parallel as a verb:

    To construct or place something parallel to something else.

  2. Parallel as a verb:

    Of a path etc: To be parallel to something else.

  3. Parallel as a verb:

    Of a process etc: To be analogous to something else.

  4. Parallel as a verb:

    To compare or liken something to something else.

  5. Parallel as a verb:

    To make to conform to something else in character, motive, aim, etc.

  6. Parallel as a verb:

    To equal; to match; to correspond to.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Shakespeare"

  7. Parallel as a verb:

    To produce or adduce as a parallel.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek John Locke"

  1. Series as a noun:

    A number of things that follow on one after the other or are connected one after the other.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: chain line sequence stream succession Thesaurus:sequence"

    "A series of seemingly inconsequential events led cumulatively to the fall of the company."

  2. Series as a noun (broadcasting, US, Canada):

    A television or radio program which consists of several episodes that are broadcast in regular intervals

    Examples:

    "synonyms: show program"

    "“Friends” was one of the most successful television series in recent years."

  3. Series as a noun (broadcasting, British):

    A group of episodes of a television or radio program broadcast in regular intervals with a long break between each group, usually with one year between the beginning of each.

    Examples:

    "synonyms: [[season]] q North America"

    "The third series of “Friends” aired from 1996 to 1997."

  4. Series as a noun (mathematics):

    The sequence of partial sums \sum_{i=1}^n{a_i} of a given sequence ai.

    Examples:

    "The harmonic series has been much studied."

  5. Series as a noun (cricket, baseball):

    A group of matches between two sides, with the aim being to win more matches than the opposition.

    Examples:

    "The Blue Jays are playing the Yankees in a four-game series."

  6. Series as a noun (zoology):

    An unranked taxon.

  7. Series as a noun (botany):

    A subdivision of a genus, a taxonomic rank below that of section (and subsection) but above that of species.

  8. Series as a noun (commerce):

    A parcel of rough diamonds of assorted qualities.

  9. Series as a noun (phonology):

    A set of consonants that share a particular phonetic or phonological feature.

  1. Series as an adjective (electronics):

    Connected one after the other in a circuit.

    Examples:

    "You have to connect the lights in series for them to work properly''."

Compare words:

Compare with synonyms and related words: