procedural

American  

[pruh-see-jer-uhl] / prəˈsi dʒər əl /

adjective

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

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noun

1. police procedural.

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• nonprocedural adjective
• procedurally adverb

Etymology

Origin of procedural

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

Example Sentences

Instead it is an investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell that has created a procedural standoff inside the Senate Banking Committee.

From Barron's

Instead it is an investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell that has created a procedural standoff inside the Senate Banking Committee.

From Barron's

Thankfully for Rovere, director Alan J. Pakula would turn those humdrum parts of “All the President’s Men” into a gripping procedural just two years later, crafting a legendary piece of American cinema in the process.

From Salon

These ringers range from the “E.R.” creators who reinvigorated the medical procedural with “The Pitt,” to Ryan Murphy, who has mastered the art of repackaging pop culture, most recently in “Love Story.”

From The Wall Street Journal

This made it clearly inappropriate for them to have played a substantive or even a procedural role in its handling.

From Salon