Definition: In British English, ‘schedule’ (pronounced ‘shed-yool’) refers to a plan or a list outlining events or tasks and their intended times and dates. It is commonly used to denote a timetable or an agenda of planned activities or actions. As a verb, ‘schedule’ means to arrange or plan for an event or activity to occur at a specific time and date.
Etymology and Origin: The word ‘schedule’ is derived from the Greek ‘σχέδιο’ (schedio), meaning ‘plan’ or ‘design’. This term was adapted into Late Latin as ‘schedula’, meaning ‘strip of paper’, which in turn became ‘cedule’ in Old French. The word entered English in the 14th century, initially signifying a note or slip of paper with written information, and evolved to its current usage denoting a planned sequence of events.