Refers to either a group of appellate judges assigned to hear a case or a group of potential jurors.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
panel (noun)1.
a) (1) a schedule containing names of persons summoned as jurors
(2) the group of persons so summoned
(3) - jury
b) (1) a group of persons selected for some service (as investigation or arbitration) - a panel of experts
(2) a group of persons who discuss before an audience a topic of public interest , also - panel discussion
(3) a group of entertainers or guests engaged as players in a quiz or guessing game on a radio or television program
2.
a separate or distinct part of a surface as
a) a fence section - hurdle
b) (1) a thin usually rectangular board set in a frame (as in a door)
(2) a usually sunken or raised section of a surface set off by a margin
(3) a flat usually rectangular piece of construction material (as plywood or precast masonry) made to form part of a surface
c) a vertical section of fabric (as a gore)
d) - comic strip , also a frame of a comic strip
3.
a thin flat piece of wood on which a picture is painted , also a painting on such a surface
4.
a) a section of a switchboard
b) a usually vertical mount for controls or dials (as of instruments of measurement)
transitive verb
to furnish or decorate with - panels paneled the living room
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
panel (noun)1.
a meeting featuring a group discussion
SYNONYMS:
colloquy, conference, council, panel, panel discussion, parley, powwow, round-robin, roundtable, seminar, symposiumRELATED WORDS:
colloquium; caucus, town meeting; assembly, conclave, congregation, congress, consistory, convention, convocation, synod; debate, deliberation; brainstorming; chat room, newsgroup2.
a select group of persons assigned to consider or take action on some matter
SYNONYMS:
commission, panelRELATED WORDS:
standing committee, steering committee; subcommittee; delegation, mission; assembly, body, congress, convocation, council, synod