collating sequence

A specified arrangement used in sequencing. (I). (A).
An ordering assigned to a set of items, such that any two sets in that assigned order can be collated. (A).
The relative ordering of collating elements as determined by the setting of the LC_COLLATE category in the current locale. The character order, as defined for the LC_COLLATE category in the current locale, defines the relative order of all collating elements, such that each element occupies a unique position in the order. This is the order used in ranges of characters and collating elements in regular expressions and pattern matching. In addition, the definition of the collating weights of characters and collating elements uses collating elements to represent their respective positions within the collation sequence.