panel

American  

[pan-l] / ˈpæn l /

noun

1. a distinct portion, section, or division of a wall, wainscot, ceiling, door, shutter, fence, etc., especially of any surface sunk below or raised above the general level or enclosed by a frame or border.

2. a comparatively thin, flat piece of wood or the like, as a large piece of plywood.

3. a group of persons gathered to conduct a public discussion, judge a contest, serve as advisers, be players on a radio or television game, or the like.

   a panel of political scientists meeting to discuss foreign policy.

4. a public discussion by such a group.

5. Law.

   1. a list of persons summoned for service as jurors.

   2. the body of persons composing a jury.

   3. (in Scotland) the person or persons arraigned for trial.

6. a mount for or a surface or section of a machine containing the controls and dials.

7. Electricity. a switchboard or control board, or a division of a switchboard or control board containing a set of related cords, jacks, relays, etc.

8. a broad strip of material set vertically in or on a dress, skirt, etc.

9. Painting.

   1. a flat piece of wood of varying kinds on which a picture is painted.

   2. a picture painted on such a piece of wood.

10. (in Britain) a list of approved or cooperating doctors available to patients under a health insurance program.

11. Aeronautics. a lateral subdivision of an airfoil with internal girder construction.

12. Engineering, Building Trades.

    1. the space on the chord of a truss between any two adjacent joints made by principal web members with the chord.

    2. the space within the web of a truss between any two such joints and a corresponding pair of joints or a single joint on an opposite chord.

13. the section between the two bands on the spine of a bound book.

14. Mining. an area of a coal seam separated for mining purposes from adjacent areas by extra thick masses or ribs of coal.

15. a pad placed under a saddle.

16. a pad, cloth, or the like, serving as a saddle.

17. a pane, as in a window.

18. a slip of parchment.

19. a photograph much longer in one dimension than the other.

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verb (used with object)

paneled, paneling, panelled, panelling

1. to arrange in or furnish with a panel or panels.

2. to ornament with a panel or panels.

3. to set in a frame as a panel.

4. to select (a jury).

5. Scots Law. to bring to trial.

panel British  

/ ˈpænəl /

noun

1. a flat section of a wall, door, etc

2. any distinct section or component of something formed from a sheet of material, esp of a car body, the spine of a book, etc

3. a piece of material inserted in a skirt, dress, etc

4. 1. a group of persons selected to act as a team in a quiz, to judge a contest, to discuss a topic before an audience, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a panel game

5. a public discussion by such a group

   a panel on public health

6. law

   1. a list of persons summoned for jury service

   2. the persons on a specific jury

7. Scots law a person indicted or accused of crime after appearing in court

8. 1. a thin board used as a surface or backing for an oil painting

   2. a painting done on such a surface

9. any picture with a length much greater than its breadth

10. See instrument panel

11. 1. a list of patients insured under the National Health Insurance Scheme

    2. a list of medical practitioners within a given area available for consultation by these patients

12. informal receiving sickness benefit, esp from the government

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verb

1. to furnish or decorate with panels

2. to divide into panels

3. law

   1. to empanel (a jury)

   2. (in Scotland) to bring (a person) to trial; indict

Grammar

See collective noun.

Other Word Forms

• repanel
  verb (used with object)
• subpanel
  noun
• unpaneled
  adjective
• unpanelled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of panel

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French panel “a piece (of anything),” diminutive of pan “piece of cloth or the like”; see pane, -elle

Explanation

If you are participating in some kind of contest, it is not ethical to bribe the judges on the panel with brownies. On the other hand, don’t stick your tongue out at them either, since they’ll be determining the winner. Panel is derived from Old French and originally meant “a piece of cloth.” It’s still used as a sewing term, but now it has additional meanings. It can mean “jury,” as above, and can also refer to a flat piece of a hard surface, often rectangular, such as the wood panel of a door or wall. Panel is also a verb meaning "to install panels." Finally, a control panel has a lot of switches and is a way to make some machines work.

Example Sentences

“CBP is open for business,” Edward Mays, a deputy assistant commissioner at the agency, told attendees at a panel exploring the potential of quantum technology.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

An independent panel later said he "may have committed" serious violations and misconduct.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

In 2006, Waxman introduced legislation to repeal his subway tunnel ban after a panel of geological experts agreed that tunneling along Wilshire could be done safely.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

The panel included Eugene Steuerle of the centrist Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and Jessica Riedl of the much more conservative Manhattan Institute.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

Charlie also accosted a man who analyzed the subprime mortgage bond market for Wachovia Bank, who happened to have been on the panel moderated by the shocking John Devaney.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• board
• bureau
• cabinet
• commission
• forum
• group
• jury
• task force
• tribunal