Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: parallelus, from Greek parallelos, from para 'beside' + allelon 'of one another'

parallel

2 adjective
     
Related topics: Maths
parallel2
1HM two lines, paths etc that are parallel to each other are the same distance apart along their whole length:
Lines AB and CD are parallel.
two parallel roads
parallel to
She was travelling parallel to her previous route.
parallel with
The railway is parallel with the canal.
Take the road running parallel to the main road just after the village.
2 formal similar and happening at the same time:
Social changes in Britain are matched by parallel trends in some other countries.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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