parallel English · revision 6775

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1549|origins=grc παράλληλος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpæɹ.əˌlɛl/ ''(UK)''; /ˈpæɹ.əˌlɛl/, /ˈpɛɹ.əˌlɛl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|parallèle]] or directly [[bor|la|parallēlus]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[grc|παράλληλος|tr=parállēlos]], from [[m|grc|παρ' ἀλλήλοις|tr=par' allḗlois|t=beside one another]], from [[m|grc|παρά|tr=pará|t=beside]] and the plural of [[m|grc|ἀλλήλων|tr=allḗlōn|t=of one another]], a doubling of [[m|grc|ἄλλος|tr=állos|t=other]] (see [[else]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of lines, lying side by side at the same distance apart and never meeting: 1549 in Barnhart and the OED,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) the 1540s in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The figurative sense, having the same course or tendency, is from about 1600.^(Etymonline) The noun, a parallel line, is from 1550–51,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) and a counterpart or equal from 1599, in Ben Jonson's ''Every Man Out of His Humour'',^(Barnhart 1988) the 1590s in Etymonline, as is a comparison made by placing things side by side.^(Etymonline) The verb, to bring into comparison, is from 1598,^(Barnhart 1988) and to match or equal is first recorded in Shakespeare's ''All's Well That Ends Well'' (1601).^(Barnhart 1988) Parallels of latitude are from 1634,^(OED 1989) ''parallel bars'' in gymnastics are from 1868, in Trollope,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and connection ''in parallel'' in electricity from 1884.^(OED 1989) In computing, parallel processing means performing several operations at once.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1549 – of lines, side by side.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1551 – a parallel line.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1598 – the verb, to compare.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1599 – a counterpart.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1868 – parallel bars.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1884 – in electricity.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of lines or planes, the same distance apart at every point and never meeting.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Similar or corresponding; developing in the same way.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(electricity)'' Connected so that current divides between the components.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(computing)'' Carrying out several operations at the same time.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A parallel line or surface.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Something closely similar to another; an [[analogy]] or comparison.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Any of the imaginary lines of [[latitude]] on the Earth.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be similar or equal to; to match or correspond to.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To run parallel to.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[parallelable]]

+ * [[parallelless]]

+ * [[parallelly]]

+ * [[nonparallel]]

+ * [[parallelistic]]

+ * [[parallelize]]

+ * [[subparallel]]

+ * [[unparallel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[parallax]]

+ * [[else]]

+ * [[alien]]

+ * [[alter]]

+ * [[allegory]]

+ * [[parallelogram]]

+ * [[parallelism]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}