What does parallelize mean?
Parallelize means to make something operate alongside another thing or to organize several activities so that they proceed at the same time. In everyday and professional settings, it often describes coordinating separate tasks to shorten the time required to complete a project. For example, a software team might parallelize testing across multiple devices, while a research group might parallelize data collection and analysis. The word can also mean to make two or more things parallel in a literal or spatial sense, although this use is less common. It is especially associated with technical, business, and organizational language, where it conveys efficiency, concurrency, and careful coordination. Parallelization is not simply the same as doing things quickly; it implies that related activities are deliberately structured to overlap in time.
verbTo make two or more things parallel or develop them alongside one another. It can also mean to organize work so that activities occur at the same time.
- To make something parallel or develop it alongside another thing.
- To organize activities so that they occur simultaneously.
- To produce or process something in parallel with another operation.
"The team decided to parallelize the research and design work to reduce the overall production time."
"The engineers parallelized testing across several devices so that problems could be identified more quickly."
"We can parallelize the data collection and data analysis rather than waiting for one stage to finish before beginning the other."
Parallelize turns a sequence of steps into a coordinated plan, helping teams accomplish more than one task at once.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does parallelize come from?
Parallelize is derived from the English word parallel, which comes from Latin parallelus, from Greek parallēlos, meaning "side by side." The suffix -ize was added in the 19th century to form a verb meaning to make parallel or arrange alongside. Related English forms include parallelism and parallelogram, both reflecting the same idea of parallel lines or side-by-side arrangement.
Related word forms
How parallelize is actually used
The word is commonly used in technical, organizational, and project-management contexts. It is usually transitive and may take a direct object, as in "parallelize the work," or appear in constructions such as "run in parallel."
Easily confused with parallelize
Parallelise is the British spelling of the same verb, while parallelize is the standard American spelling.