concatenation

[ kon-kat-n-ey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of linking together in a chain; concatenating:

   The network is formed by the concatenation of nodes.

2. the state of being concatenated; connection, as in a chain:

   The concatenation of component elements in the power grid makes the system vulnerable to cyber attacks.

3. a series of interconnected or interdependent things or events:

   Human history is a concatenation of power struggles and people trying to survive.

4. Computers. Also called string concatenation. the process of joining strings of characters or data into a continuous series with no gaps:

   Due to string concatenation, the program reads “may be” and “maybe” as the same.

Word History and Origins

Origin of concatenation¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin concatēnātiōn- (stem of concatēnātiō ), equivalent to concatēnāt(us) “linked together, connected” + -iōn- noun suffix; concatenate, -ation

Example Sentences

So I think it’s a concatenation of factors, but there’s not much question what the outcome is.

From Time

From there, the concatenation of escalation led to Israel's preemptive attack.

From The Daily Beast

If the world had come to an end in consequence of such a concatenation, I think she would hardly have been surprised.

From Project Gutenberg

There was a concatenation accordingly, every link in which had helped to make Ambrose Meyrick's position hopeless.

From Project Gutenberg

I have studied to develop the first causes, the better to show the concatenation of effects.

From Project Gutenberg

A strange concatenation of events had also placed the rest of the royal family in an uneasy position.

From Project Gutenberg

But we miss a necessary link; there is a break in the otherwise close concatenation of his speculations.

From Project Gutenberg