Main Entry: ¹pan·el

Pronunciation: \ˈpa-n^əl\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, piece of cloth, jury list on a piece of parchment, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *pannellus, diminutive of Latin pannus

Date: 14th century

1 a (1) : a schedule containing names of persons summoned as jurors (2) : the group of persons so summoned (3) : jury 1 b (1) : a group of persons selected for some service (as investigation or arbitration) <a panel of experts> (2) : a group of persons who discuss before an audience a topic of public interest; also : panel discussion (3) : a group of entertainers or guests engaged as players in a quiz or guessing game on a radio or television program
2 : a separate or distinct part of a surface: as a : a fence section : hurdle b (1) : a thin usually rectangular board set in a frame (as in a door) (2) : a usually sunken or raised section of a surface set off by a margin (3) : a flat usually rectangular piece of construction material (as plywood or precast masonry) made to form part of a surface c : a vertical section of fabric (as a gore) d : comic strip; also : a frame of a comic strip
3 : a thin flat piece of wood on which a picture is painted; also : a painting on such a surface
4 a : a section of a switchboard b : a usually vertical mount for controls or dials (as of instruments of measurement)