procedural

[pruh-see-jer-uhl]

adjective

1. of or relating to a procedure or procedures, especially of a court of law, legislative body, or law enforcement agency.

noun

1. police procedural.

Other Word Forms

• procedurally adverb
• nonprocedural adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of procedural¹

First recorded in 1885–90; procedure + -al ¹

Example Sentences

For years, farmers and emergency workers had developed what neuroscientists call "procedural memory" for reading weather patterns using the site, he explained.

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He described the tangle of lawyers, judges, and motions involved as a "procedural morass" with no simple answers.

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The Tates have denied the allegations, and the initial charges against them were sent back to prosecutors by a court because of procedural issues.

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Brody, who wasn’t placed in custody and must remain confined to his residence, shook his head while the verdict was read and angrily stomped out of the courtroom while the judge went over procedural matters.

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“I think we’re in a pretty steady state right now, with healthy procedural growth.”

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When To Use

What does procedural mean?

Procedural is used to describe things that involve a specific procedure—a particular way of doing something, especially one that is usually repeated in the same way each time.The word procedural is especially used in the context of formal, official procedures, such as those used in government and law. A procedural vote is typically one that is simply part of the process to move forward to a full and final vote on a matter. A procedural agreement is a kind of contract that governs how a collective bargaining process will be carried out.Procedural can also be used as a noun to refer to a procedural drama—work of fiction, especially a TV show, that realistically portrays a kind of professional work. A common type of procedural is a police procedural. The popular show Law & Order is a procedural.Example: This meeting is solely to deal with procedural matters—the debate on the actual issues will come later.