English Explanatory Dictionary

parcel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A package wrapped, as for shipment or transport.
  2. An individual consignment of cargo for shipment, regardless of size and form.
  3. An individual item appearing on an invoice or receipt (only in the phrase bill of parcels).
  4. A division of land bought and sold as a unit.
  5. A group of birds.
  6. An indiscriminate or indefinite number, measure, or quantity; a collection; a group.
  7. A small amount of food that has been wrapped up, for example a pastry.
  8. A portion of anything taken separately; a fragment of a whole; a part.
verb
  1. To wrap something up into the form of a package.
  2. To wrap a strip around the end of a rope.
  3. To divide and distribute by parts or portions; often with off, out or into.
  4. To add a parcel or item to; to itemize.
adv
  1. Part or half; in part; partially.

Pronunciation

pärʹ-səl [ˈpʰɑː.səɫ] /ˈpɑɹsəl/ [ˈpʰɑɹ.səɫ] En-us-parcel.ogg [ˈpʰɐː.səɫ]

Word forms

parcel parcels parceling parcelling parceled parcelled

Etymology

From Middle English parcel, from Old French parcelle (“a small piece or part, a parcel, a particle”), from Late Latin particella, diminutive of Latin particula (“particle”), diminutive of partem (“part, piece”). Doublet of particle.

Synonyms

package plot

Related words

part particle particular particulate lot allotment

Derived words

air parcel bill of parcels interparcel multiparcel parcel bomb parcelcopter parcelful parcel gilt parcellate parcellation parcel locker parcel out parcel-poet parcel post parcel shelf parcel tape parcel together parcel up parcelwise part and parcel pass the parcel unparcel unparcelled
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