piecemeal

[pees-meel]

adverb

1. piece by piece; one piece at a time; gradually.

   to work piecemeal.

2. into pieces or fragments.

   to tear a letter piecemeal.

adjective

1. done piecemeal.

piecemeal

/ ˈpiːsˌmiːl /

adverb

1. by degrees; bit by bit; gradually

2. in or into pieces or piece from piece

   to tear something piecemeal

adjective

1. fragmentary or unsystematic

   a piecemeal approach

Word History and Origins

Origin of piecemeal¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pecemele; replacing Old English styccemǣlum, piece, -meal

Word History and Origins

Origin of piecemeal¹

C13 pecemele, from _piece + -mele, from Old English mælum quantity taken at one time

Example Sentences

Federal employees are fired en masse, and then begrudgingly rehired piecemeal under court order.

From Salon

"They've got to have a plan for British industry, you cannot just do this piecemeal," she said, comparing Germany's £1 trillion plan for energy diversification to the UK's £50bn.

From BBC

The court said the way the aviation body released its preliminary report in to the Boeing Dreamliner's crash was "selective and piecemeal".

From BBC

Meanwhile, much of the official digitisation in the maritime industry has happened in a piecemeal way, and involves technology that can go rapidly out of date.

From BBC

The effort to repeal will be a piecemeal one.

From Salon

Related Words

• gradual