[pan.el] n [ME, piece of cloth, slip of parchment, jury schedule, fr. MF, piece of cloth, piece, fr. (assumed) VL pannellus, dim. of L pannus] (14c) 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 ~ 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 usu. rectangular board set in a frame (as in a door) (2): a usu. sunken or raised section of a surface set off by a margin (3): a flat usu. 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 e: any of several units of construction of an airplane wing surface
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 flat often insulating support (as for computer hardware or parts of an electrical device) usu. with control handles on one face c: a usu. vertical mount for controls or dials (as of instruments of measurement)
[2]panel vt -eled or -elled ; -el.ing or -el.ling (15c): to furnish or decorate with panels "paneled the living room"