The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Excel \Ex*cel"\, v. i.
   To surpass others in good qualities, laudable actions, or
   acquirements; to be distinguished by superiority; as, to
   excel in mathematics, or classics.
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         Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel. --Gen. xlix.
                                                  4.
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         Then peers grew proud in horsemanship t' excel. --Pope.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Excel \Ex*cel"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excelled; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Excelling.] [L. excellere, excelsum; ex out + a root found
   in culmen height, top; cf. F. exceller. See Culminate,
   Column.]
   1. To go beyond or surpass in good qualities or laudable
      deeds; to outdo or outgo, in a good sense.
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            Excelling others, these were great;
            Thou, greater still, must these excel. --Prior.
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            I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light
            excelleth darkness.                   --Eccl. ii.
                                                  13.
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   2. To exceed or go beyond; to surpass.
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            She opened; but to shut
            Excelled her power; the gates wide open stood.
                                                  --Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

excel
    v 1: distinguish oneself; "She excelled in math" [syn: excel,
         stand out, surpass]

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

Microsoft Excel
Excel

    A spreadsheet program from Microsoft, part of their
   Microsoft Office suite of productivity tools for Microsoft
   Windows and Macintosh.  Excel is probably the most widely
   used spreadsheet in the world.

   (http://microsoft.com/msexcel/).

   [Feature summary?  History?]

   (1997-01-14)