n.
Pronunciation: ' pär-s ə l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French parcele , from Vulgar Latin *particella, from Latin particula small part ― more at PARTICLE
Date: 14th century
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