diff --git a/src/bin/hexyl.rs b/src/bin/hexyl.rs
index bafed37..d11f1b0 100644
--- a/src/bin/hexyl.rs
+++ b/src/bin/hexyl.rs
@@ -153,14 +153,14 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), AnyhowError> {
                 ),
         )
         .arg(
-            Arg::new("columns")
-                .short('w')
-                .long("columns")
+            Arg::new("panels")
+                .short('p')
+                .long("panels")
                 .takes_value(true)
                 .value_name("N")
                 .help(
-                    "Sets the number of hex data columns to be displayed. \
-                    `--columns=auto` will display the maximum number of hex data columns \
+                    "Sets the number of hex data panels to be displayed. \
+                    `--panels=auto` will display the maximum number of hex data panels \
                     based on the current terminal width",
                 ),
         )
@@ -170,11 +170,11 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), AnyhowError> {
                 .long("terminal-width")
                 .takes_value(true)
                 .value_name("N")
-                .conflicts_with("columns")
+                .conflicts_with("panels")
                 .help(
                     "Sets the number of terminal columns to be displayed.\nSince the terminal \
                     width may not be an evenly divisible by the width per hex data column, this \
-                    will use the greatest number of hex data columns that can fit in the requested \
+                    will use the greatest number of hex data panels that can fit in the requested \
                     width but still leave some space to the right.\nCannot be used with other \
                     width-setting options.",
                 ),
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), AnyhowError> {
         .transpose()?
         .unwrap_or(0);
 
-    let max_columns_fn = |terminal_width: u16| {
+    let max_panels_fn = |terminal_width: u16| {
         let offset = if show_position_panel { 10 } else { 1 };
         let col_width = if show_char_panel { 35 } else { 26 };
         if (terminal_width - offset) / col_width < 1 {
@@ -306,32 +306,32 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), AnyhowError> {
         }
     };
 
-    let columns = if matches.value_of("columns") == Some("auto") {
-        max_columns_fn(terminal_size().ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("not a TTY"))?.0 .0)
-    } else if let Some(columns) = matches
-        .value_of("columns")
+    let panels = if matches.value_of("panels") == Some("auto") {
+        max_panels_fn(terminal_size().ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("not a TTY"))?.0 .0)
+    } else if let Some(panels) = matches
+        .value_of("panels")
         .map(|s| {
             s.parse::<NonZeroU16>().map(u16::from).context(anyhow!(
-                "failed to parse `--columns` arg {:?} as unsigned nonzero integer",
+                "failed to parse `--panels` arg {:?} as unsigned nonzero integer",
                 s
             ))
         })
         .transpose()?
     {
-        columns
+        panels
     } else if let Some(terminal_width) = matches
-            .value_of("terminal_width")
-            .map(|s| {
-                s.parse::<NonZeroU16>().map(u16::from).context(anyhow!(
+        .value_of("terminal_width")
+        .map(|s| {
+            s.parse::<NonZeroU16>().map(u16::from).context(anyhow!(
                 "failed to parse `--terminal-width` arg {:?} as unsigned nonzero integer",
-                    s
-                ))
-            })
-            .transpose()?
-        {
-        max_columns_fn(terminal_width)
-        } else {
-            2
+                s
+            ))
+        })
+        .transpose()?
+    {
+        max_panels_fn(terminal_width)
+    } else {
+        2
     };
 
     let stdout = io::stdout();
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), AnyhowError> {
         show_position_panel,
         border_style,
         squeeze,
-        columns,
+        panels,
     );
     printer.display_offset(skip_offset + display_offset);
     printer.print_all(&mut reader).map_err(|e| anyhow!(e))?;
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e72c8ba..044f22d 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ pub struct Printer<'a, Writer: Write> {
     squeezer: Squeezer,
     display_offset: u64,
     /// The number of panels to draw.
-    columns: u16,
+    panels: u16,
 }
 
 impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
         show_position_panel: bool,
         border_style: BorderStyle,
         use_squeeze: bool,
-        columns: u16,
+        panels: u16,
     ) -> Printer<'a, Writer> {
         Printer {
             idx: 1,
@@ -202,9 +202,9 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
                         .collect()
                 })
                 .unwrap_or_default(),
-            squeezer: Squeezer::new(use_squeeze, 8 * columns as u64),
+            squeezer: Squeezer::new(use_squeeze, 8 * panels as u64),
             display_offset: 0,
-            columns,
+            panels,
         }
     }
 
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
             write!(self.writer, "{}", l).ok();
         }
 
-        for _ in 0..self.columns - 1 {
+        for _ in 0..self.panels - 1 {
             write!(self.writer, "{h25}{c}", h25 = h25, c = c).ok();
         }
         if self.show_char_panel {
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
         }
 
         if self.show_char_panel {
-            for _ in 0..self.columns - 1 {
+            for _ in 0..self.panels - 1 {
                 write!(self.writer, "{h8}{c}", h8 = h8, c = c).ok();
             }
             writeln!(self.writer, "{h8}{r}", h8 = h8, r = r).ok();
@@ -301,16 +301,16 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
                 self.byte_char_panel[b as usize]
             );
 
-            if idx % 8 == 0 && idx % (u64::from(self.columns) * 8) != 0 {
+            if idx % 8 == 0 && idx % (u64::from(self.panels) * 8) != 0 {
                 let _ = write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{}", self.border_style.inner_sep());
             }
 
             idx += 1;
         }
 
-        if len < usize::from(8 * self.columns) {
+        if len < usize::from(8 * self.panels) {
             let _ = write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{0:1$}", "", 8 - len % 8);
-            for _ in 0..(usize::from(8 * self.columns) - (len + (8 - len % 8))) / 8 {
+            for _ in 0..(usize::from(8 * self.panels) - (len + (8 - len % 8))) / 8 {
                 let _ = write!(
                     &mut self.buffer_line,
                     "{2}{0:1$}",
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
     }
 
     pub fn print_byte(&mut self, b: u8) -> io::Result<()> {
-        if self.idx % (u64::from(self.columns) * 8) == 1 {
+        if self.idx % (u64::from(self.panels) * 8) == 1 {
             self.print_header();
             self.print_position_panel();
         }
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
 
         self.squeezer.process(b, self.idx);
 
-        if self.idx % (u64::from(self.columns) * 8) == 0 {
+        if self.idx % (u64::from(self.panels) * 8) == 0 {
             self.print_textline()?;
         } else if self.idx % 8 == 0 {
             let _ = write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{} ", self.border_style.inner_sep());
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
             if self.squeezer.active() {
                 self.print_position_panel();
                 write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{0:1$}", "", 24)?;
-                for _ in 0..self.columns - 1 {
+                for _ in 0..self.panels - 1 {
                     write!(
                         &mut self.buffer_line,
                         "{2}{0:1$}",
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
                     8,
                     self.border_style.outer_sep()
                 )?;
-                for _ in 0..self.columns - 1 {
+                for _ in 0..self.panels - 1 {
                     write!(
                         &mut self.buffer_line,
                         "{2}{0:1$}",
@@ -387,9 +387,9 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
 
         // print empty space on last line
         if squeeze_action != SqueezeAction::Delete {
-            if len < usize::from(8 * self.columns) {
+            if len < usize::from(8 * self.panels) {
                 write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{0:1$}", "", 3 * (8 - len % 8))?;
-                for _ in 0..(usize::from(8 * self.columns) - (len + (8 - len % 8))) / 8 {
+                for _ in 0..(usize::from(8 * self.panels) - (len + (8 - len % 8))) / 8 {
                     write!(
                         &mut self.buffer_line,
                         "{2}{0:1$}",
@@ -422,18 +422,18 @@ impl<'a, Writer: Write> Printer<'a, Writer> {
                     self.border_style.outer_sep()
                 )?;
 
-                for i in 0..self.columns {
+                for i in 0..self.panels {
                     write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{0:1$}", "", 25)?;
-                    if i != self.columns - 1 {
+                    if i != self.panels - 1 {
                         write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{}", self.border_style.inner_sep())?;
                     } else {
                         write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{}", self.border_style.outer_sep())?;
                     }
                 }
 
-                for i in 0..self.columns {
+                for i in 0..self.panels {
                     write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{0:1$}", "", 8)?;
-                    if i != self.columns - 1 {
+                    if i != self.panels - 1 {
                         write!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{}", self.border_style.inner_sep())?;
                     } else {
                         writeln!(&mut self.buffer_line, "{}", self.border_style.outer_sep())?;
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn multiple_columns() {
+    fn multiple_panels() {
         let input = io::Cursor::new(b"supercalifragilisticexpialidocioussupercalifragilisticexpialidocioussupercalifragilisticexpialidocious");
         let expected_string = "\
 ┌────────┬─────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┬────────┬────────┬────────┬────────┐