Flat or curved pieces forming part of a surface; groups of people selected to discuss or judge something; sections of material used in construction or decoration.
From Old French 'panel' meaning piece of cloth, from 'pan' (piece) ultimately from Latin 'pannus' (cloth). The sense expanded from cloth pieces to any flat sections, then to groups of people (originally jurors selected from lists on cloth scrolls).
The journey from cloth scraps to expert committees shows how physical metaphors shape abstract concepts - we still 'empanel' jurors and speak of 'panels' of experts as if they were pieces of fabric sewn together. This textile origin explains why we arrange people in panels rather than circles or other shapes.
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