timeline

or time line

[ tahym-lahyn ]

noun

1. a linear representation of important events in the order in which they occurred.
2. a schedule; timetable.
3. Digital Technology.
   1. a collection of online posts or updates associated with a specific social media account, in reverse chronological order.
   2. timeline bar.
4. an alternate reality in which events unfold differently, often beginning at a single identifiable moment of divergence that establishes a distinct but recognizable parallel existence: We’re stuck in the darkest timeline, trapped in a dystopian nightmare. parallel universe ( def 3 ).

   My free-love hippie mom just got engaged to a hedge fund manager—what timeline am I living in?

   We’re stuck in the darkest timeline, trapped in a dystopian nightmare.

timeline

/ ˈtaɪmˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a graphic representation showing the passage of time as a line
2. a time frame during which something is scheduled to happen

Word History and Origins

Origin of timeline¹

First recorded in 1950–55; time ( def ) + line ¹( def )

Example Sentences

A “rent due” tweet has become an axiom explaining the constant lewd shock-and-outrage bait that floods most of the timeline.

From Slate

The timeline to get mining projects approved in Canada can also be lengthy.

From BBC

Lorenz tells me that a turning point for the internet happened in 2011, when Facebook turned the “wall” into a “timeline,” which was designed to help people look back at their lives online.

From Slate

But these changes are not included in the bill and the government has not set out a timeline for when they will be delivered.

From BBC

“Second life” is used often in this space, but it’s really one long, serpentine timeline.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agenda
• timetable