catena

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

catena
    n 1: a chain of connected ideas or passages or objects so
         arranged that each member is closely related to the
         preceding and following members (especially a series of
         patristic comments elucidating Christian dogma)

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Catena \Ca*te"na\, n.; pl. {Catene}. [L., a chain.]
   A chain or series of things connected with each other.
   [1913 Webster]

         I have . . . in no case sought to construct those
         caten[ae] of games, which it seems now the fashion of
         commentators to link together.           --C. J.
                                                  Ellicott.
   [1913 Webster] Catenary