Abfolge

Abfolge is a German noun (die Abfolge) meaning sequence, order, or succession. It describes a continuous progression of items, events, or states arranged according to a rule or a temporal or logical order. The term can emphasize the process of succession itself rather than just the set of items. In everyday language, Abfolge is used for the order of steps, events, or stages, such as the Abfolge der Ereignisse in einem Bericht or die Abfolge der Schritte in einem Experiment. In technical contexts, the more common term is Folge, while Abfolge may appear in descriptive or narrative prose to highlight progression.

Historically, Abfolge can also denote the succession of rulers or dynasties, e.g., die Abfolge der Könige von England. In music, Abfolge can refer to a sequence of tones or motifs, though the word Sequenz is often preferred in specialized musical terminology. In other domains, the term appears in descriptions of processes, procedures, and chronological accounts where the emphasis is on the order in which elements occur.

Etymology and usage notes: Abfolge is formed from ab- ‘away’ and Folge ‘sequence,’ and has been used in German since at least the 18th century. In many formal or mathematical writings the term Folge is favored, but Abfolge remains common in prose and narration to convey the idea of a progressing order or series of events.

See also: Folge, Reihenfolge, Sequenz.