Panel
/ˈpæn.əl/noun
A flat or framed piece forming part of a surface, wall, door, or display; also a small group assembled for discussion or decision-making.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Latin *pannus*, meaning “cloth” or “rag,” which is the same root behind *pannier* and *companion*—literally someone you share bread with under the same “cloth.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peh₂-
“to weave, spin, or make cloth”
Latin
Latin
pannus
“a cloth, rag, or piece of fabric”
Late Latin
Latin
panel(l)um
“a small piece of cloth or parchment”
Old French
Old French
panel
“a piece of cloth; later, a small section or compartment”
Middle English
English
panel
“a strip or piece of material; a section of a surface”
Modern English
English
panel
“a flat section of a surface, or a group selected for a task or discussion”