Main Entry: ¹par·al·lel

Pronunciation: \ˈper-ə-ˌlel, ˈpa-rə-, -ləl\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Latin parallelus, from Greek parallēlos, from para beside + allēlōn of one another, from allos…allos one…another, from allos other — more at else

Date: 1549

1 a : extending in the same direction, everywhere equidistant, and not meeting <parallel rows of trees> b : everywhere equally distant <concentric spheres are parallel>
2 a : having parallel sides <a parallel reamer> b : being or relating to an electrical circuit having a number of conductors in parallel c : arranged in parallel <a parallel processor> d : relating to or being a connection in a computer system in which the bits of a byte are transmitted over separate channels at the same time <a parallel port> — compare serial
3 a (1) : similar, analogous, or interdependent in tendency or development (2) : exhibiting parallelism in form, function, or development <parallel evolution> b : readily compared : companion c : having identical syntactical elements in corresponding positions; also : being such an element d (1) : having the same tonic —used of major and minor keys and scales (2) : keeping the same distance apart in musical pitch
4 : performed while keeping one's skis parallel <parallel turns>

synonyms see similar