piecemeal

CEFRC1

/ˈpiːs.miːl/

adverb · adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adverb

    Gradually, one part at a time.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Done in separate stages rather than all at once.

Examples

  • He said that the piecemeal solution of the government will not work.

  • The information is leaking piecemeal to the press.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adverb

Extra meanings

  1. Into pieces or parts.

  2. Piece by piece; in small amounts, stages, or degrees.

adjective

Extra meaning

  1. Made or done in pieces or one stage at a time.

More examples

In context

  • Near-synonyms: piecewise, stepwise; see also Thesaurus:gradual

  • But the copious and intertwined associative links warrant our accepting the former alternative: cyclamen—favourite flower—favourite food— artichokes; pulling to pieces like an artichoke, leaf by leaf (a phrase constantly ringing in our ears in relation to the...

  • a piecemeal approach

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

We renovated the old house blank, completing one room at a time.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adverb

From Middle English pecemele, from pece (“piece”) + mele (from Old English mǣlum (“at a time”), dative plural form of mǣl (“time, measure”), taking the place of Old English styċċemǣlum (“in pieces, bit by bit, piecemeal; to pieces, to bits; here and there, in different places; little by little, by degrees, gradually”); equivalent to piece + -meal.