solar panel

American

noun

a bank of solar cells.

solar panel British

noun

a panel exposed to radiation from the sun, used to heat water or, when mounted with solar cells, to produce electricity direct, esp for powering instruments in satellites

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 1995, a real Japanese satellite deployed a solar panel that had been Miura-folded.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Alavi was given a range of equipment including a sewing machine, fabric and cash for a solar panel -- essential in a country where power cuts are commonplace.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

With practically no fuel left, he is finding it ever harder to harvest and irrigate his crops, relying for power mainly on a solar panel provided by the state.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

The company unveiled its first fully designed and manufactured solar panel last month, which is being made at the Buffalo factory alongside the Solar Roof.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

She tucked the coconut pearl into her pocket and pulled down the satellite dish and solar panel.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023