panel

American  

[pan-l] / ˈpæn l /

noun

• panels
  plural

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)

• panels,
  present (3rd person singular)
• paneled,
  past participle,  past
• panelled,
  past participle,  past (especially British)
• paneling,
  present participle
• panelling
  present participle (especially British)

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• panels
  plural

Participles

• paneling
  present
• panelling
  present
• paneled
  past
• panelled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• panel
  simple
• panels
  simple
• have paneled
  perfect
• have panelled
  perfect
• has paneled
  perfect
• has panelled
  perfect
• am paneling
  progressive
• am panelling
  progressive
• are paneling
  progressive
• are panelling
  progressive
• is paneling
  progressive
• is panelling
  progressive
• have been paneling
  perfect progressive
• have been panelling
  perfect progressive
• has been paneling
  perfect progressive
• has been panelling
  perfect progressive

Past

• paneled
  simple
• panelled
  simple
• had paneled
  perfect
• had panelled
  perfect
• was paneling
  progressive
• was panelling
  progressive
• were paneling
  progressive
• were panelling
  progressive
• had been paneling
  perfect progressive
• had been panelling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will panel
  simple
• will have paneled
  perfect
• will have panelled
  perfect
• will be paneling
  progressive
• will be panelling
  progressive
• will have been paneling
  perfect progressive
• will have been panelling
  perfect progressive

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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

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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

See Examples For:

panel panels paneled panelled paneling panelling

The future of the solar panel system is not the only issue slowing the project.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Two dissenting members of the panel voted for an immediate interest rate increase.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

The It's Not Unusual and What's New Pussycat? singer recently made headlines after revealing ITV had "made the decision" to "fire" him from The Voice UK coaching panel.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

The Pentagon launched a new office dedicated to energetics production and created a panel tasked with doubling the nation’s supply of key weapons, including the explosives that power them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

Livingston clasped the edge of the control panel.

From "Wolfie & Fly" by Cary Fagan

Sustainability may have been a focus for the Lucas gardens — the museum’s website trumpets solar panels on the roof and a rainwater irrigation system — but its planting choices have room for improvement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Under the California law that goes into effect in January, residents can buy certified panels under 1200 watts and set them up without getting utility approval, which can be onerous.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

The dining room skews kitschy, with carpeting and a ceiling of unassuming office-style panels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

The success of solar power, particularly the installation of photovoltaic panels on homes and businesses, has created sharp fluctuations in electricity supply, which often exceeds demand during daylight hours.

From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026

And indeed, it was a giant robot pelican, three stories high, made of steel and girders, currently swallowing the white panels of the ceiling in its massive steel and girder beak.

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness

The eatery features Midcentury Modern touches with curved cherry wood walls and paneled ceilings, as well as illuminated white onyx Corian surfaces.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

The replica included a podium on one side with wood paneled furniture flanked by gold curtains to display where lawmakers would traditionally sit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

It added: “Awe-inspiring features abound, including eight spacious en-suite bedrooms with beautifully appointed baths, a guest house complete with a kitchenette, and an intricately paneled study featuring a warm fireplace.”

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 18, 2026

There was paneled wood around the whole room, which had the exact same vibe as the last courtroom I’d been in—the vibe of ‘this is not a place you want to end up.’

From Slate ● May 12, 2024

He tugs me by the elbow, steers me through a paneled door.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Some questioned how realistic it was to build such tall pillars from which a glass panelled canvas drapes over the new stands and surrounding grounds.

From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2025

It includes a panelled corridor, rare historic glazed advertising, a stone fireplace and a hatch through which drinks are fetched.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2022

The sun had set, and Paisley—a vast network of squat buildings, including three recording studios, panelled in white aluminum like an office park—was illuminated by purple sconces.

From The New Yorker ● Sep. 2, 2019

One of the most distinctive features of the handsome Prince Alfred pub in Maida Vale is the panelled dividers which you have to duck under to move from bar to bar.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 23, 2019

On a chance we tried an important-looking door, and walked into a high Gothic library, panelled with carved English oak, and probably transported complete from some ruin overseas.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

High Park Farm also looms large in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Exhibit, with a whole section configured to look like the inside of their farmhouse: wood paneling, quaint lighting, faux windows.

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026

Working together, the couple removed the shag carpeting and wood paneling from the first floor and the stairway, installing drywall in their place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026

The paneling outside Provisions near Gate A1 is Admirals Club-like, but nothing else is.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

From the outside, the home is as charming as can be as it boasts a stone pathway and olive green paneling.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 9, 2026

“I appeared on the TV game show Concentration in 1968,” he announced, “and won a roomful of furniture and wood paneling for my rumpus room.”

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

A pool journalist allowed to tour the inside of the plane reported that it features leather seats, plush carpets, wooden panelling and walls colored tan and light brown with shades of gold.

From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026

More premium design options including fitted booth seating and "reeded timber panelling" were also chosen despite the project increasing in cost.

From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026

The council said it also discovered that historic features such as panelling and fireplaces had been removed.

From BBC ● May 14, 2025

Those fragments that do impact the planet might include internal panelling and some metal parts, such as fuel and pressure tanks.

From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2024

The wall dividing our side of the house from the bar was made from shiny sheets of fake wood panelling, but the rest of the walls were rough, splintery boards painted pale green.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

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Related Words

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