1
: a tract or plot of land
a parcel of real estate
2
a
: a wrapped bundle : package
The parcel was shipped today.
b
: a unit of salable merchandise
a parcel in an auction
3
: a company, collection, or group of persons, animals, or things : lot
The whole story was a parcel of lies.
a parcel of giddy young kids—
Mark Twain
Mark Twain
parceled or parcelled; parceling or parcelling
ˈpär-s(ə-)liŋ 
1
: to divide into parts : distribute
—often used with out
2
: to make up into a parcel : wrap
3
: to cover (something, such as a rope) with strips of canvas or tape
Synonyms
Examples of parcel in a Sentence
Noun
a parcel of real estate
her absurd explanation for the collision was a parcel of lies
Verb
parceled out the assignments for work on the parish fair
Recent Examples on the Web
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2024
This year’s vintage is predominantly Pinot Noir – 90 percent – finished off with 13 percent Pinot Noir red wine from that historic Clos Colin parcel.
—Jeanne O'Brien Coffey, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Sigal Samuel, Vox, 3 Dec. 2024
Clocking and the secondhand joy parcelled around an acknowledgement are an effect of that first commitment, to articulate one’s own grace.
—Sadhbh O'Sullivan, refinery29.com, 28 Feb. 2024
Amy Dobson, Forbes, 6 Apr. 2021
While parcel demand for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday retail peaks was higher than expected, the threat of industrial action caused customers to divert holiday packages to other companies, Royal Mail said in a statement.
—Anthony Palazzo, Bloomberg.com, 29 Apr. 2020
See all Example Sentences for parcel 
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Noun
After snapping up two adjacent parcels on Arrandale Avenue, Bolour and his wife Mandana had roughly one acre of land to work with in the sleepy New York enclave.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2024
This year’s vintage is predominantly Pinot Noir – 90 percent – finished off with 13 percent Pinot Noir red wine from that historic Clos Colin parcel.
—Jeanne O'Brien Coffey, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
Figures like Francis Bacon and Johannes Kepler looked at the innovation in bookkeeping and thought: This way of parceling the world into chunks of data that are quantifiable and verifiable is great.
—Sigal Samuel, Vox, 3 Dec. 2024
Clocking and the secondhand joy parcelled around an acknowledgement are an effect of that first commitment, to articulate one’s own grace.
—Sadhbh O'Sullivan, refinery29.com, 28 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The current record, of $147 million, was for a multi-parcel purchase by investor Barry Rosenstein.
—Amy Dobson, Forbes, 6 Apr. 2021
While parcel demand for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday retail peaks was higher than expected, the threat of industrial action caused customers to divert holiday packages to other companies, Royal Mail said in a statement.
—Anthony Palazzo, Bloomberg.com, 29 Apr. 2020
See all Example Sentences for parcel
Dictionary Entries Near parcel
Cite this Entry
“Parcel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parcel. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
parcel
2 of 2 verb
parceled or parcelled; parceling or parcelling
ˈpär-s(ə-)liŋ
1
: to divide into parts : distribute
2
: to wrap up into a parcel
Legal Definition
parcel
noun
par·cel
ˈpär-səl
: a tract or plot of land
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