parcel

American  

[pahr-suhl] / ˈpɑr səl /

noun

1. an object, article, container, or quantity of something wrapped or packed up; small package; bundle.

2. a quantity or unit of something, as of a commodity for sale; lot.

3. a group, collection, or assemblage of persons or things.

   Synonyms:

   assortment, batch

4. a distinct, continuous portion or tract of land.

5. a part, portion, or fragment.

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verb (used with object)

parceled, parceling, parcelled, parcelling

1. to divide into or distribute in parcels or portions (usually followed byout ).

   Synonyms:

   allot, deal, apportion, mete

2. to make into a parcel or wrap as a parcel.

3. Nautical. to cover or wrap (a rope) with strips of canvas.

adverb

1. Archaic. in part; partially.

parcel British  

/ ˈpɑːsəl /

noun

1. something wrapped up; package

2. a group of people or things having some common characteristic

3. a quantity of some commodity offered for sale; lot

4. a distinct portion of land

5. an essential part of something (esp in the phrase part and parcel )

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verb

1. (often foll by up) to make a parcel of; wrap up

2. (often foll by out) to divide (up) into portions

3. nautical to bind strips of canvas around (a rope)

adverb

1. an archaic word for partly

parcel Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing parcel

• part and parcel

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Related Words

See package.

Other Word Forms

• unparceled adjective
• unparceling adjective

Etymology

Origin of parcel

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Middle French parcelle, from unattested Late Latin particella, fresh formation for Latin particula; particle, passel

Explanation

A parcel is a part of something, or a division. It can also be a package or a collection of things wrapped together. Parcel comes from the Anglo-Norman word for "part." Often when we use parcel to mean a part, we're talking about land, which is divided into definable (and purchasable) tracts. As a verb, parcel means to divide something into parts, just as after trick-or-treating you might parcel your candy stash into piles of chocolates, peppermints, or toffees. If you're selling the family farm, you might parcel it into four small plots.

Example Sentences

In theory, should a buyer wish to create a much larger waterfront dwelling, they could scoop up both properties, which would given them a parcel totaling around 0.3 acres.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Amazon had previously relied on parcel carriers like FedEx and United Parcel Service.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

That’s not the primary benefit to those two parcel shippers, though.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

The Bears haven’t found the same expediency in Illinois despite buying a parcel of land in Arlington Heights, a Chicago suburb, in 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

She pulled out a small paper parcel and gave it to him.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart

Related Words

• bundle
• carton
• package
• packet