piecemeal

Meanings

Adjective

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

Adverb

• Piece by piece; in small amounts, stages, or degrees.
• Into pieces or parts.

Verb

• To divide or distribute piecemeal; dismember.

Noun

• A fragment; a scrap.

Origin

• From Middle English pecemele, from pece + mele (from Old English mǣlum ("at a time"), dative plural form of mǣl, 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.