piecemeal

Etymology

Came into English via Middle English pecemele, from pece ("piece") plus mele, from Old English mǣlum ("at a time"), the dative plural of mǣl ("time, measure"), which took over from Old English styċċemǣlum ("in pieces, bit by bit, piecemeal; to pieces, to bits; here and there, in different places; little by little, by degrees, gradually"); equivalent to piece plus -meal.