panel

1 of 2

noun

pan·​el ˈpa-nᵊl 

1

a(1)

: a schedule containing names of persons summoned as jurors

(2)

: the group of persons so summoned

summoned a panel of 40 citizens for jury duty

(3)

: jury sense 1

The 12-person panel arrived at a guilty verdict.

b(1)

: a group of persons selected for some service (such as investigation or arbitration)

a panel of experts

a government advisory panel

(2)

: a group of persons who discuss before an audience a topic of public interest

The panel agreed to accept questions following the discussion.

also : panel discussion

(3)

: a group of entertainers or guests engaged as players in a quiz or guessing game on a radio or television program

The quiz show included a panel of three players.

2

: a separate or distinct part of a surface: such as

a

: a fence section : hurdle

b(1)

: a thin usually rectangular board set in a frame (as in a door)

(2)

: a usually sunken or raised section of a surface set off by a margin

(3)

: a flat usually rectangular piece of construction material (such as plywood or precast masonry) made to form part of a surface

c

: a vertical section of fabric (such as a gore)

d

: comic strip

also : a frame of a comic strip

The comic strip was composed of four panels.

3

: a thin flat piece of wood on which a picture is painted

also : a painting on such a surface

4

a

: a section of a switchboard (as for circuit breakers or for a telephone exchange)

… he entered the basement to work on the electrical panel and circuits …

—Thomas J. Nardi

b

: a usually vertical mount for controls or dials (as of instruments of measurement)

Most microwave ovens have a control panel with numbers from 0 to 9.

panel

2 of 2

verb

paneled or panelled; paneling or panelling

transitive verb

: to furnish or decorate with panels

paneled the living room

Synonyms

Noun

• colloquy
• conference
• council
• forum
• panel discussion
• parley
• round-robin
• roundtable
• seminar
• symposium

Examples of panel in a Sentence

Noun

The university is hosting a panel on free speech.

Tonight's show features a panel of famous chefs.

Three of the members on the panel are doctors.

The advisory panel has recommended that the drug be approved.

A panel of judges selected the book for this year's award.

The room was visible through the door's glass panel.

One of the ceiling panels needs to be replaced.

Each of the skirt's five panels is a different color.

Sew the two panels together to form a tablecloth.

Aside from a dent in one of the side panels the car is in good shape.

Verb

We paneled the living room with oak.

The walls were paneled in oak.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Rebecca Bogart Ally Allen, who had watched the killer approach through a glass door panel, kept waking in the night with tears pouring down her face. —Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025

One of the bright spots of the Davos summit this January was a panel with Laura Rudas of Palantir and Ellinor Schrewelius of investment firm Verdane, as well as Asa Tamsons of Ericsson and Solveigh Hieronimus, a senior partner at MicKinsey. —John Werner, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025

Verb

It is composed of two layers: a black wool paneled top that is seemingly peeling away to reveal the cream cotton under-layer. —Mikelle Street, WWD, 22 Feb. 2025

Behind the front door is a foyer, added in a recent renovation, and straight ahead is the combined living and dining area, where the ceilings are wood paneled and a Scandinavian-style gas stove sits before windows overlooking the deck. —Angela Serratore, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English panel, panele, pannel "piece of cloth, saddle cloth, pane of glass, part, division, list of jurors on a piece of parchment, jury," borrowed from Anglo-French, "section of a surface, covering on a horse, list of jurors" (continental Old & Middle French also panel, penel "piece of cloth, kind of gaiter, saddle cushion"), going back to Vulgar Latin *pannellus, from Latin pannus "piece of cloth, rag" + -ellus, diminutive suffix — more at vane

Note: Compare pane. As trial by jury was an English rather than a continental tradition, it is unsurprising that panel in the sense "list of jurors" developed only in Anglo-French.

Verb

Middle English panellen "to cover a saddle with cloth, empanel a jury," derivative of panel, panele "piece of cloth, saddle cloth, pane of glass, part, division, list of jurors on a piece of parchment, jury" — more at panel entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing panel

• flat-panel
• instrument panel
• jury panel
• panel discussion
• panel truck
• quarter panel
• rocker panel
• solar panel
• sub-panel

Rhymes for panel

• annal
• annul
• cannel
• channel
• flannel
• pannel
• multichannel
• perianal

Kids Definition

panel

1 of 2 noun

pan·​el ˈpan-ᵊl 

1

a

: a list or a group of persons selected as jurors

b

: a group of persons who discuss a topic before an audience

c

: a group of entertainers or guests who are players in a quiz or guessing game on a radio or television program

2

: a separate or different part of a surface: as

a

: a usually rectangular and sunken or raised section of a door, wall, or ceiling

b

: a flat usually rectangular piece of construction material (as plywood) made to form part of a surface

c

: a lengthwise section of cloth (as in a skirt or dress)

3

a

: a thin flat piece of wood on which a picture is painted

b

: a painting on such a surface

4

: a usually vertical mount for controls or dials (as of instruments of measurement)

panel

2 of 2 verb

paneled or panelled; paneling or panelling

: to furnish or decorate with panels

Medical Definition

panel

noun

pan·​el ˈpan-ᵊl 

: a list or group of persons selected for some service: as

a

: a list of physicians from among whom a patient may make a choice in accordance with various British health and insurance plans

b

: the patients cared for by a doctor under such a plan

Legal Definition

panel

noun

pan·​el

1

: a group of community members summoned for jury service

2

: a group of usually three judges among the judges sitting on an appellate court who hear a particular appeal compare full court