n.
Pronunciation: ' pa-n ə l
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)