piecemeal

[ pees-meel ]
/ ˈpisˌmil /

adverb

piece by piece; one piece at a time; gradually: to work piecemeal.
into pieces or fragments: to tear a letter piecemeal.

adjective

done piecemeal.

Origin of piecemeal

1250–1300; Middle English pecemele; replacing Old English styccemǣlum. See piece, -meal

Example sentences from the Web for piecemeal

British Dictionary definitions for piecemeal

piecemeal
/ (ˈpiːsˌmiːl) /

adverb

by degrees; bit by bit; gradually
in or into pieces or piece from piece to tear something piecemeal

adjective

fragmentary or unsystematic a piecemeal approach

Word Origin for piecemeal

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