n.
Pronunciation: ' per- ə - ˌ lel, ' pa-r ə -, -l ə l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin parallelus, from Greek parall ē los, from para beside + all ē l ō n 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