panel

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A group of people who discuss, judge, or answer questions in public.

   Today's panel includes three leading scientists.

2. 2
   noun

   A flat, usually rectangular, section of a wall, door, or other surface.

   One wooden panel of the old door had cracked.

3. 3
   noun

   A flat surface with switches and controls for operating a machine.

   The pilot checked the instrument panel before takeoff.

4. 4
   verb

   To cover a wall or surface with flat sections, usually of wood.

   They paneled the study with dark oak.

From Middle English panel (“piece of cloth, saddle pad, pane of glass, piece of ice, part, division, jury list, jury members”), from Anglo-Norman panel, panelle (“piece of cloth, saddle cushion”), from Vulgar Latin *pannellus, diminutive of Latin pannus (“cloth, rag, garment”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂n- (“fabric”). Cognate with Old English fana (“a piece of cloth, patch, banner, flag, vane”). Doublet of vane.

Topics