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Parallel

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par⋅al⋅lel

  [par-uh-lel, -luhl] adjective, noun, verb, -leled, -lel⋅ing or (especially British) -lelled, -lel⋅ling.
Use Parallel in a Sentence
–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.
a. (of straight lines) lying in the same plane but never meeting no matter how far extended.
b. (of planes) having common perpendiculars.
c. (of a single line, plane, etc.) equidistant from another or others (usually fol. by to or with).
4. Electricity. consisting of or having component parts connected in parallel: a parallel circuit.
5. Music.
a. (of two voice parts) progressing so that the interval between them remains the same.
b. (of a tonality or key) having the same tonic but differing in mode.
6. Computers.
a. 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.
b. 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.
a. 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.
b. 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)
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; < L parallēlus < Gk parállēlos side by side, equiv. to par- par- + állēlos one another; see allo-, else

Related forms:
par⋅al⋅lel⋅a⋅ble, adjective
par⋅al⋅lel⋅less, adjective
par⋅al⋅lel⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
2. like, alike. 10. equivalent, equal, mate, duplicate, twin, double.

Antonyms:
2. divergent; unlike; unique. 10. opposite.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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par·al·lel   (pār'ə-lěl')   
adj.  

  1. Being an equal distance apart everywhere: dancers in two parallel rows. See Usage Note at absolute.

  2. Mathematics

    1. Of, relating to, or designating two or more straight coplanar lines that do not intersect.

    2. Of, relating to, or designating two or more planes that do not intersect.

    3. Of, relating to, or designating a line and a plane that do not intersect.

    4. Of, relating to, or designating curves or surfaces everywhere equidistant.

    5. Having comparable parts, analogous aspects, or readily recognized similarities: the parallel lives of two contemporaries.

    6. Having the same tendency or direction: parallel motives and aims.

    7. Moving in the same direction at a fixed interval: parallel motion; parallel fifths.

    8. Having the same tonic. Used of scales and keys: C minor is the parallel minor scale of C major.

    9. Of or relating to the simultaneous transmission of all the bits of a byte over separate wires: a parallel port; a parallel interface.

    10. Of or relating to the simultaneous performance of multiple operations: parallel processing.

    1. Having comparable parts, analogous aspects, or readily recognized similarities: the parallel lives of two contemporaries.

    2. Having the same tendency or direction: parallel motives and aims.

    3. Moving in the same direction at a fixed interval: parallel motion; parallel fifths.

    4. Having the same tonic. Used of scales and keys: C minor is the parallel minor scale of C major.

    5. Of or relating to the simultaneous transmission of all the bits of a byte over separate wires: a parallel port; a parallel interface.

    6. Of or relating to the simultaneous performance of multiple operations: parallel processing.

  4. Grammar Having identical or equivalent syntactic constructions in corresponding clauses or phrases.

  5. Music

    1. Moving in the same direction at a fixed interval: parallel motion; parallel fifths.

    2. Having the same tonic. Used of scales and keys: C minor is the parallel minor scale of C major.

    3. Of or relating to the simultaneous transmission of all the bits of a byte over separate wires: a parallel port; a parallel interface.

    4. Of or relating to the simultaneous performance of multiple operations: parallel processing.

  6. Electronics Denoting a circuit or part of a circuit connected in parallel.

  7. Computer Science

    1. Of or relating to the simultaneous transmission of all the bits of a byte over separate wires: a parallel port; a parallel interface.

    2. Of or relating to the simultaneous performance of multiple operations: parallel processing.

adv.  In a parallel relationship or manner: a road and a railway that run parallel.
n.  

  1. Mathematics One of a set of parallel geometric figures, such as lines or planes.

    1. One that closely resembles or is analogous to another: a unique event, without parallel in history.

    2. A comparison indicating likeness; an analogy.

  3. The condition of being parallel; near similarity or exact agreement in particulars; parallelism.

  4. Any of the imaginary lines representing degrees of latitude that encircle the earth parallel to the plane of the equator.

  5. Printing A sign indicating material referred to in a note or reference.

  6. Electronics An arrangement of components in a circuit that splits the current into two or more paths. Used chiefly in the phrase in parallel.

tr.v.   par·al·leled also par·al·lelled, par·al·lel·ing also par·al·lel·ling, par·al·lels also par·al·lels

  1. To make or place parallel to something else: paralleled the ditch to the highway.

  2. To be or extend parallel to: a trail that parallels the crater rim.

  3. To be similar or analogous to: claimed that fetal development parallels the evolution of the species.

  4. To be or provide an equal for; match.

  5. To show to be analogous; compare or liken: critics who have paralleled the novel's plot to an ancient myth.


[Latin parallēlus, from Greek parallēlos : para-, beside; see para-1 + allēlōn, of one another (from allos, other; see al-1 in Indo-European roots).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

parallel  (adj.)
1549, from M.Fr. parallèle, from L. parallelus, from Gk. parallelos "parallel," from para allelois "beside one another," from para "beside" + allelois "each other," from allos "other" (see alias). The verb is first recorded 1598. Parallel bars as gymnastics apparatus are recorded from 1868.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

parallel
parallel processing

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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