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Incremental vs Piecemeal - What's the difference?

incremental | piecemeal |

Incremental is a see also of piecemeal.


As adjectives the difference between incremental and piecemeal

is that incremental is pertaining to an increment while piecemeal is made or done in pieces or one stage at a time.

As a adverb piecemeal is

piece by piece; in small amounts, stages, or degrees.

As a verb piecemeal is

to divide or distribute piecemeal; dismember.

As a noun piecemeal is

a fragment; a scrap.

incremental

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Pertaining to an increment.
  • Occurring over a series of gradual increments, or small steps.
  • Derived terms

    * incrementalism * incrementalist * incrementalize * incrementally

    piecemeal

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Made or done in pieces or one stage at a time.
  • * 1947 -
  • Such assistance, I am convinced, must not be on a piecemeal basis, as various crises develop.
  • * 1953 , James Strachey, translation of , Avon Books, pg. 224:
  • But the copious and intertwined associative links warrant our accepting the former alternative: cyclamen—favourite flower—favourite food— artichokes; pulling to pieces like an artichoke, leaf by leaf (a phrase constantly ringing in our ears in relation to the piecemeal dismemberment of the Chinese Empire)—herbarium—bookworms, whose favourite food is books.

    Usage notes

    Nouns to which "piecemeal" is often applied: fashion, approach, basis, way, change, reform, measure.

    Derived terms

    * piecemeal approach

    See also

    * gradual * incremental

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Piece by piece; in small amounts, stages, or degrees.
  • * 1914 -
  • It’s as bad as selling a man a horse with half a dozen latent vices and watching him discover them piecemeal in the course of the hunting season.
  • Into pieces or parts.
  • * 1888 - (London), October 03
  • A few years ago also there was the case of Kate Webster, who at Richmond murdered her mistress, and, fiend-like, cut the body up piecemeal , and tried to dispose of it in various ways by small portions.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To divide or distribute piecemeal; dismember.
  • Derived terms

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A fragment; a scrap.