piecemeal

[ pees-meel ]

adverb

1. piece by piece; one piece at a time; gradually:

   to work piecemeal.

2. into pieces or fragments:

   to tear a letter piecemeal.

adjective

1. done piecemeal.

piecemeal

/ ˈpiːsˌmiːl /

adverb

1. by degrees; bit by bit; gradually
2. in or into pieces or piece from piece

   to tear something piecemeal

adjective

1. fragmentary or unsystematic

   a piecemeal approach

Word History and Origins

Origin of piecemeal¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pecemele; replacing Old English styccemǣlum, piece, -meal

Word History and Origins

Origin of piecemeal¹

C13 pecemele, from piece + -mele, from Old English mælum quantity taken at one time

Example Sentences

For now, ethics questions are being taken up in a piecemeal way.

From Science News

In a recent essay in the journal Science, bioethicists Alessandro Blasimme and Effy Vayena from ETH Zurich in Switzerland said that the “piecemeal creation of public trust” was an important missing ingredient if we want more people to use these apps.

From MIT Technology Review

Should the Nationals go in that direction, it becomes much more likely that they piecemeal first base.

From Washington Post

Together, these efforts are part of what ethics researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology recently called the “piecemeal creation of public trust.”

From MIT Technology Review

They also reinforced their defense with piecemeal signings including veteran center Robin Lopez and forward Anthony Gill, who has spent the past three seasons overseas.

From Washington Post

The American edition retains the piecemeal lightness of the original experiment.

From The Daily Beast

Luskin makes the best argument he can, of course, but it is piecemeal and speculative.

From The Daily Beast

While a grand bargain is extremely unlikely, Wyden intends to keep pushing for piecemeal reform.

From The Daily Beast

After all, if he is looking for a party of deference, compromise, and piecemeal reform he need look no further.

From The Daily Beast

No, he merely sympathized and proposed piecemeal reforms to the existing systems of exploitation and oppression.

From The Daily Beast

Each sentence came as if torn piecemeal from his unwilling tongue; short, jerky phrases, conceived in pain and delivered in agony.

From Project Gutenberg

Imagine his rage and grief at seeing his only friend and companion devoured piecemeal before his very eyes!

From Project Gutenberg

This was very buoyant and the carts and baggage were carried over piecemeal in it, with the exception of the last two carts.

From Project Gutenberg

The rafts were to be taken apart, and, with their lading, transported overland piecemeal.

From Project Gutenberg

Cortes observed that he might fight this way until all of his army had melted away by piecemeal and have taken nothing.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• gradual