parcel

¹par·cel

noun \ˈpär-səl\

Definition of PARCEL

1

a : fragment, portion

b : a volume of a fluid (as air) considered as a single entity within a greater volume of the same fluid

2

: a tract or plot of land

3

: a company, collection, or group of persons, animals, or things : lot <the whole story was a parcel of lies>

4

a : a wrapped bundle : package

b : a unit of salable merchandise

Examples of PARCEL

1. a parcel of real estate
2. <her absurd explanation for the collision was a parcel of lies>

Origin of PARCEL

Middle English, from Anglo-French parcele, from Vulgar Latin *particella, from Latin particula small part — more at particle

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PARCEL

Synonyms

array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, block, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection, constellation, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster, package, group, passel, set, suite

Related Words

accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomeration; agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety; cycle, run, series, suit

Near Antonyms

entity, item, single, unit

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

Rhymes with PARCEL

tarsal

²parcel

adverb

Definition of PARCEL

archaic

: partly

First Known Use of PARCEL

15th century

³parcel

adjective

Definition of PARCEL

: part-time, partial

First Known Use of PARCEL

15th century

⁴parcel

transitive verb

parceled or parcelledparcel·ing or parcel·ling \ˈpär-s(ə-)liŋ\

Definition of PARCEL

1

: to divide into parts : distribute —often used with out

2

: to make up into a parcel : wrap

3

: to cover (as a rope) with strips of canvas or tape

First Known Use of PARCEL

15th century