följd

Följd is a Swedish noun with several closely related meanings. In everyday language it denotes what comes after something, i.e., a consequence or result, and more generally a sequence or order of events. In mathematics and other disciplines, följd specifically refers to a sequence—an ordered list of elements, such as a numerical sequence.

Etymology and related forms: the word is derived from the verb följa, “to follow,” with the sense of “that which follows” or “what comes after.” Related terms include följare (follower), efterföljd (subsequent development), and ordföljd (word order). A closely related noun is påföljd, which means penalty or sanction and is commonly used in legal contexts to describe the consequences imposed after a breach or offense.

Usage notes: följd can appear in various contexts. In daily speech you can say that something is a följd of an action or event, meaning its consequence. In science and mathematics, it denotes a sequence, for example en följd av tal (a sequence of numbers). In grammar or linguistics, compounds like ordföljd describe the order of elements, such as words in a sentence.

Examples:

- En följd av hans beslut var att företagets policy ändrades.

- I matematiken är 1, 2, 3, 4 en följd av tal.

Följd is a flexible term that is understood across contexts to capture progression, outcome, or orderly succession, with particular emphasis on what comes next or follows in a given set or process.