Home North American English parnel

Definition of parnel in US English:

parnel

(also panel)

noun

rare

  • A prostitute; a loose woman; (also) †a priest's mistress (obsolete). Also in extended use: a weak or effeminate man. In later use archaic or regional.

Origin

Late Middle English; earliest use found in William Langland (c1325–c1390), poet. From Pernel, Parnel, female forename (originally a shortened form of Petronilla, and popular as a feminine equivalent to Peter).

Pronunciation

parnel

/ˈpɑːnl/