paneling

American  

[pan-l-ing] / ˈpæn l ɪŋ /

especially British, panelling

noun

1. wood or other material made into panels.

2. a surface of panels, especially of decorative wood or woodlike panels.

3. panels collectively.

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Etymology

Origin of paneling

First recorded in 1815–25; panel + -ing ¹

Explanation

The collective panels used to decorate or cover a wall are called paneling. If you have really dark wood paneling in your house, you can try to lighten it up with paint, but use a primer first because the dark stain tends to show through paint. Although paneling usually refers to wood covering on a wall, the word paneling is derived from panel, which originally referred to cloth. Panel is an Old French word meaning a piece of cloth, and that word is from the Latin word pannus, which has the same meaning. Today, there are many different types of wood paneling, including board and batten, bead board, tongue and groove, and flat or raised panels.

Example Sentences

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

"Over time, it grew. We've seen really strong growth through the years," Ara Khanikian, who supervises visual effects at Rodeo FX, told AFP at the studio's current home, a modern office with elegant wood paneling.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

One of Mr. Joseph’s interviewees remembers Sondheim pinning an oatmeal-raisin cookie to a speckled piece of pine paneling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

With warm wood paneling, exposed concrete, terrazzo and low steel railings, the lively space feels both modern and nostalgic, with references to its past life as a bowling alley.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2025

The glow from my desk light created a funny shadow against the room’s wood paneling.

From "The Red Umbrella" by Christina Gonzalez

Related Words

• bar
• barricade
• barrier
• block
• dam
• embankment
• facade
• fence
• screen
• side
• surface