panel

 
Pronunciation: /ˈpan(ə)l/

noun

  • 1a typically rectangular piece of wood or glass forming or set into the surface of a door, wall, or ceiling: a layer of insulating material should be placed between the panels and the wall
  • a thin piece of metal forming part of the outer shell of a vehicle: body panels for the car trade
  • a piece of material forming part of a garment: the dress has a panel of lace over the bodice
  • a decorated area within a larger design containing a separate subject: the central panel depicts the Crucifixion
  • one of several drawings making up a cartoon strip: the cartoon strip has four panels
  • 2a flat board on which instruments or controls are fixed: a control panel
  • 3a small group of people brought together to investigate or decide on a particular matter: an interview panel
  • British a list of medical practitioners registered in a district as accepting patients under the National Health Service or, formerly, the National Insurance Act.
  • chiefly North American a list of available jurors or a jury.
  • 4 Scots Law a person or people charged with an offence.

verb (panels, panelling, panelled; US panels, paneling, paneled)

[with object] (usually as adjective panelled)
  • cover (a wall or other surface) with panels: panelled rooms

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French, literally 'piece of cloth', based on Latin pannus '(piece of) cloth'. The early sense 'piece of parchment' was extended to mean 'list', whence the notion 'advisory group'. panel (sense 1 of the noun) derives from the late Middle English sense 'distinct section of a surface'

Spelling rule

Double the l when adding endings which begin with a vowel to words which end in a vowel plus l (as in travel): (panels, panelling, panelled).