parallel

[par-uh-lel, -luh l] /ˈpær əˌlɛl, -ləl/
adjective
1.
extending in the same direction, equidistant at all points, and never converging or diverging:
parallel rows of trees.
2.
having the same direction, course, nature, or tendency; corresponding; similar; analogous:
Canada and the U.S. have many parallel economic interests.
3.
Geometry.
  1. (of straight lines) lying in the same plane but never meeting no matter how far extended.
  2. (of planes) having common perpendiculars.
  3. (of a single line, plane, etc.) equidistant from another or others (usually followed by to or with).
4.
Electricity. consisting of or having component parts connected in parallel:
a parallel circuit.
5.
Music.
  1. (of two voice parts) progressing so that the interval between them remains the same.
  2. (of a tonality or key) having the same tonic but differing in mode.
6.
Computers.
  1. of or pertaining to the apparent or actual performance of more than one operation at a time, by the same or different devices (distinguished from serial):
    Some computer systems join more than one CPU for parallel processing.
  2. of or pertaining to the simultaneous transmission or processing of all the parts of a whole, as all the bits of a byte or all the bytes of a computer word (distinguished from serial).
noun
7.
a parallel line or plane.
8.
anything parallel or comparable in direction, course, nature, or tendency to something else.
9.
Also called parallel of latitude. Geography.
  1. an imaginary circle on the earth's surface formed by the intersection of a plane parallel to the plane of the equator, bearing east and west and designated in degrees of latitude north or south of the equator along the arc of any meridian.
  2. the line representing this circle on a chart or map.
10.
something identical or similar in essential respects; match; counterpart:
a case history without a known parallel.
11.
correspondence or analogy:
These two cases have some parallel with each other.
12.
a comparison of things as if regarded side by side.
13.
Electricity. an arrangement of the components, as resistances, of a circuit in such a way that all positive terminals are connected to one point and all negative terminals are connected to a second point, the same voltage being applied to each component.
Compare series (def 9).
14.
Fortification. a trench cut in the ground before a fortress, parallel to its defenses, for the purpose of covering a besieging force.
15.
Printing. a pair of vertical parallel lines (‖) used as a mark for reference.
16.
Theater. a trestle for supporting a platform (parallel top)
verb (used with object), paralleled, paralleling or (especially British) parallelled, parallelling.
17.
to provide or show a parallel for; match.
18.
to go or be in a parallel course, direction, etc., to:
The road parallels the river.
19.
to form a parallel to; be equivalent to; equal.
20.
to show the identity or similarity of; compare.
21.
to make parallel.
Origin
1540-50; < Latin parallēlus < Greek parállēlos side by side, equivalent to par- par- + állēlos one another; see allo-, else
Related forms
parallelable, adjective
parallelless, adjective
parallelly, adverb
nonparallel, adjective, noun
subparallel, adjective
unparallel, adjective
Synonyms
2. like, alike. 10. equivalent, equal, mate, duplicate, twin, double.
Antonyms
2. divergent; unlike; unique. 10. opposite.
Examples from the web for parallel
  • The majority of courts have a similar architecture of two parallel walls along the sides of the field.
  • For me, it's difficult to imagine parallel behavior on the other side.
  • Objects in his bedroom must be arranged in neat, parallel lines, toiletries and desk items perfectly aligned.
  • The corollary has been a parallel growth of credit on the other side of bank balance sheets.
  • We would have people hold out their arms on each side parallel to the ground.
  • They run parallel to each other and for much of their course are never more than 100 miles (160 km) apart.
  • Arrangement or position in a straight line or in parallel lines.
  • To try to create a better parallel, think of it this way.
  • See when your head is almost parallel with the platform.
  • The most obvious parallel is that there's a president who is in trouble, who has low ratings in the polls.
British Dictionary definitions for parallel

parallel

/ˈpærəˌlɛl/
adjective when postpositive, usually foll by to
1.
separated by an equal distance at every point; never touching or intersecting: parallel walls
2.
corresponding; similar: parallel situations
3.
(music)
  1. Also consecutive. (of two or more parts or melodies) moving in similar motion but keeping the same interval apart throughout: parallel fifths
  2. denoting successive chords in which the individual notes move in parallel motion
4.
(grammar) denoting syntactic constructions in which the constituents of one construction correspond to those of the other
5.
(computing) operating on several items of information, instructions, etc, simultaneously Compare serial (sense 6)
noun
6.
(maths) one of a set of parallel lines, planes, etc
7.
an exact likeness
8.
a comparison
9.
Also called parallel of latitude. any of the imaginary lines around the earth parallel to the equator, designated by degrees of latitude ranging from 0° at the equator to 90° at the poles
10.
  1. a configuration of two or more electrical components connected between two points in a circuit so that the same voltage is applied to each (esp in the phrase in parallel)
  2. (as modifier): a parallel circuit See series (sense 6)
11.
(printing) the character (∥) used as a reference mark
12.
a trench or line lying in advance of and parallel to other defensive positions
verb (transitive) -lels, -leling, -leled
13.
to make parallel
14.
to supply a parallel to
15.
to be a parallel to or correspond with: your experience parallels mine
Word Origin
C16: via French and Latin from Greek parallēlos alongside one another, from para-1 + allēlos one another
Word Origin and History for parallel
adj.

1540s, from Middle French parallèle (16c.) and directly from Latin parallelus, from Greek parallelos "parallel," from para allelois "beside one another," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + allelois "each other," from allos "other" (see alias). As a noun from 1550s. Parallel bars as gymnastics apparatus are recorded from 1868.

v.

1590s, from parallel (n.).

parallel in Science
parallel
  (pār'ə-lěl')   
Adjective  Of or relating to lines or surfaces that are separated everywhere from each other by the same distance.

Noun  Any of the imaginary lines encircling the Earth's surface parallel to the plane of the equator, used to represent degrees of latitude. See illustration at longitude.
parallel in Technology


parallel processing