part and parcel

Idioms & Phrases

part and parcel

An essential or basic element, as in Traveling is part and parcel of Zach's job. Used since the 15th century as a legal term, with part meaning "a portion" and parcel "something integral with a whole," this idiom began to be used more loosely from about 1800. Although both nouns have the same basic meaning, the redundancy lends emphasis.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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