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

Get them wrong or do them too often and a government's progress can become jolty and piecemeal, and the backbench battalion of the disgruntled grows larger.

From BBC

The absence of this has led to what Niesr called "piecemeal policy tinkering" that had given rise to "prolonged economic uncertainty".

From BBC

Their judgement said that it was "regrettable that MI5's explanations to this court were given in a piecemeal and unsatisfactory way - and only following the repeated intervention of the court".

From BBC

Research fellow Dave Hawkey said: "The parliament's recognition of a climate emergency in 2019 was not matched by a step change in policy. Instead, timid piecemeal initiatives crowded out more ambitious ideas."

From BBC

The pair said they welcomed the prime minister's "personal commitment to halving violence against women and girls within a decade" but said "funding cuts and scaled back ambition are leading to piecemeal policies".

From BBC

Related Words

• gradual