procedure

noun

pro·​ce·​dure prə-ˈsē-jər How to pronounce procedure (audio)
1
a
: a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting
b
: a step in a procedure
2
a
: a series of steps followed in a regular definite order
legal procedure
a surgical procedure
b
: a set of instructions for a computer that has a name by which it can be called into action
3
a
: a traditional or established way of doing things

Examples of procedure in a Sentence

Installing a car battery is a simple procedure. What is the procedure for applying for a loan? New employees are taught the proper safety procedures. We must follow proper court procedure. An identity check is standard police procedure. the procedure for treating a burn The procedure will take two hours.
Recent Examples on the Web This is because facelift procedures can also pull back the beard hairs towards the incision points. Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024 Coupled with the announcement of King Charles III’s prostate procedure and unprecedented cancer disclosure, the internet has been rife with rumors. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 There are currently 14 states with total bans against the procedure while nearly every other state has seen an increase in the number of abortions provided from 2020 to 2023. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 The institutional procedures of parliamentarianism had always seen the Social Democrats through—why would those procedures not continue to protect them? Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 This procedure effectively transforms a cluster of physical qubits into a single virtual qubit. Ben Brubaker, WIRED, 17 Mar. 2024 Some speculate Princess Kate will make her first outing since the procedure by joining the royals for their traditional Easter outing to church, which falls on March 31 this year. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2024 The total cost of the procedures plus room and board was about $17,000. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 Recovery for the procedure can last up to three months, and there are precisely three months between her planned surgery and Easter, when Kensington Palace said she could be expected to return to the public eye. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'procedure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French procédure, from Middle French, from proceder

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of procedure was circa 1577

Dictionary Entries Near procedure

Cite this Entry

“Procedure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procedure. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

procedure

noun
pro·​ce·​dure prə-ˈsē-jər How to pronounce procedure (audio)
1
: a manner or method in which a business or action is carried on
2
a
: a series of steps followed in a regular definite order
the procedure for acquiring a passport
b
: a set of instructions for a computer that has a name by which it can be called into action
procedural
-ˈsēj-(ə-)rəl
adjective

Medical Definition

procedure

noun
pro·​ce·​dure prə-ˈsē-jər How to pronounce procedure (audio)
1
: a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting
2
: a step in a procedure
especially : a series of steps followed in a regular definite order
a surgical procedure
a therapeutic procedure

Legal Definition

procedure

noun
pro·​ce·​dure prə-ˈsē-jər How to pronounce procedure (audio)
1
: one or more methods or steps for the enforcement or administration of rights, duties, justice, or laws
civil procedure
police procedure
compare procedural law, substantive law
2
: a particular and especially established way of doing something
a medical procedure
security procedures

More from Merriam-Webster on procedure

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