procedure

American  

[pruh-see-jer] / prəˈsi dʒər /

noun

1. an act or a manner of proceeding in any action or process; conduct.

   Synonyms:

   management

2. a particular course or mode of action.

   Synonyms:

   plan, method, operation

3. any given mode of conducting legal, parliamentary, or other business, especially litigation and judicial proceedings.

4. Computers.

   1. the sequence of actions or instructions to be followed in solving a problem or accomplishing a task.

   2. Also called subprogram.  a group of statements that may be used at one or more points in a computer program.

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procedure British  

/ prəˈsiːdʒə /

noun

1. a way of acting or progressing in a course of action, esp an established method

2. the established mode or form of conducting the business of a legislature, the enforcement of a legal right, etc

3. computing another name for subroutine

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Usage

What does procedure mean? A procedure is a particular way of doing something, especially one that is usually repeated in the same way each time. This is how the word is used in the phrases standard procedure and follow procedure, as in It’s important to follow procedure in the event of an emergency. The word procedure can also refer to a particular course of action, as in The instructions list all the steps of the procedure. This is especially used in professional and technical contexts. In a legal context, the word refers to the specific way that proceedings need to be carried out according to the rules. In a medical context, procedure is used as a synonym for operation, as in I’m having a minor procedure done tomorrow. In computers and programming, a procedure is a series or instructions followed in order to complete some task, often as part of a program. Example: This is not proper procedure! Who’s in charge here?

Other Word Forms

• procedural adjective
• procedurally adverb

Etymology

Origin of procedure

From the French word procédure, dating back to 1605–15. See proceed, -ure

Explanation

A procedure is a tried and true process or method used to accomplish a particular task. Using sharp metal picks, dentists scrape the plaque from their patients’ teeth. While effective, it’s a procedure most people despise. The word procedure is often used in the fields of medicine and law, sometimes in combination with other words, as in "surgical procedure" or "legal procedure." A "Parliamentary procedure" is the set of rules that you follow at a meeting of a club or some other organization (not necessarily a House of Parliament). Procedure is also related to the word procedural, which is sometimes used a term for a genre of television drama in which the plot revolves around a technical procedure, like the solving of a police case.

Example Sentences

She had experienced some pain before the procedure, but it got much worse as a "great big mound" appeared in her abdomen.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

While vasectomies are considered long-term, many men hesitate to undergo the procedure, even though reversal surgery is sometimes possible.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

In theory, the majority might have felt it was proper for the lower court to take the first stab as a matter of appellate procedure.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

She said yes, even though there was only “like a 10% chance” that it would work and that he would survive the procedure.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

But if the times and circumstances change he will be ruined, because he does not change his method of procedure.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli

Related Words

• action
• agenda
• conduct
• form
• measure
• method
• move
• operation
• plan
• policy
• practice
• proceeding
• program
• scheme
• step
• strategy
• transaction