Consecutive is an adjective describing items that follow one after another without interruption. It emphasizes sequence and uninterrupted progression, often used to indicate a continuous series or progression in time or order. In everyday use, it implies that each item directly succeeds the previous one.
"The team won three consecutive games this season."
"She published six consecutive chapters without any breaks."
"He spoke for five consecutive hours during the workshop."
"The powers of two consecutive integers are always odd or even in alternation."
Consecutive comes from the Latin word consequi, meaning to follow closely, with the suffix -ive forming adjectives. The root consequi itself derives from com- (together) and sequī (to follow). The term passed into English via Old French consecutif and directly into Middle English in the late medieval period, gaining prominence in mathematical, legal, and scholarly contexts where precise ordering matters. Its use expanded from simple descriptions of order to more abstract sequences in literature and rhetoric. The sense of uninterrupted, one-after-another series was solidified by the 16th–18th centuries as systematic scholars described consecutive numbers, events, or steps in recipes, laws, and proofs. First known uses appear in scholarly treatises where authors stressed the importance of a “consecutive” progression to maintain logical or numerical integrity. Over time, the word has retained its core sense of linear order without gaps, while also feeding into modern phrases like “consecutive days,” “consecutive integers,” and “consecutive numbers.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Consecutive" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Consecutive"
-ive sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /kənˈsɛk.ju.tɪv/ in US, /kənˈsek.juː.tɪv/ in UK, and /kənˈsek.juː.tɪv/ in AU. The primary stress is on the second syllable: con-SEC-u-tive. Start with a relaxed schwa in the first syllable, then a crisp /ˈsɛ/ or /ˈse/ depending on dialect, followed by /kju/ (the /kj/ blend) and end with /tɪv/. Ensure the /s/ and /k/ are sharp, and lightly pronounce the final /v/.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (emphasizing con- or co- instead of -sec-), mixing up the /k/ and /s/ sounds (pronouncing /kənˈsɛk-ju-.tɪv/ with a heavy /t/ together), and running the /ju/ as a separate syllable (uttering /ju/ as /juː/ in isolation). Correction: place primary stress on -SEC-, keep /s/ crisp, use /kj/ for the /ju/ sequence, and avoid over-articulating the final -tive; end with a light /v/ and no extra vowel after it.
US: /kənˈsɛk.ju.tɪv/ with a rhotic /r/ absent in the word itself; UK: /kənˈsek.juː.tɪv/ often with a longer /juː/ and less rhoticity in non-rhotic accents; AU: /kənˈsek.juː.tɪv/ similar to UK but with slightly flatter vowels and a more clipped final /v/. The primary stress remains on -SEC-, but vowel quality shifts: US /ɛ/ vs UK/AU /eː/ or /e/. Practice listening to native speech to notice subtle shifts in the /ju/ vowel.” ,
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster -sec- transitioning quickly into -ju- and the contrast between /ɛ/ or /e/ vowels across dialects, plus a final /v/ that often links to the preceding consonant. The main tip is to keep the /s/ sharp, the /kj/ blend tight, and compress the /t/ and /ɪ/ into a light, quick ending without adding an extra syllable. Focus on the secondary stress on -SEC- for clarity.
A unique feature is the /kj/ ligature following the stressed /sɛk-/ syllable: the sequence /sɛk.ju/ is a delicate blend where the tongue moves from a high front position for /j/ into a posterior glide for /u/. Pronounce as a single, tight sequence rather than two separate sounds. This gelling of syllables is what often trips learners when attempting a fluid, natural cadence.
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