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RELATED WORDS

development, case, technique, proceeding, course, means, practice, system, mechanism, trial, step, growth, rule, way, measure, action, progress, operation, procedure, movement

Origin of process

1275–1325; Middle English proces (noun) (< Old French) < Latin prōcessus a going forward, equivalent to prō- pro-1 + ced-, variant stem of cēdere to yield (see cede) + -tus suffix of v. action; see cession
Related formspro·ces·su·al [pro-sesh-oo-uhl or, esp. British, proh-] /prɒˈsɛʃ u əl or, esp. British, proʊ-/, adjectiveo·ver·proc·ess, verb (used with object)pre·proc·ess, verbre·proc·ess, verb (used with object)sem·i·proc·essed, adjectivetrans·proc·ess, nounun·proc·essed, adjective

Synonyms for process

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR process ON THESAURUS.COM
1. operation. Process, procedure, proceeding apply to something that goes on or takes place. A process is a series of progressive and interdependent steps by which an end is attained: a chemical process. Procedure usually implies a formal or set order of doing a thing, a method of conducting affairs: parliamentary procedure. Proceeding (usually pl.) applies to what goes on or takes place on a given occasion or to the records of the occasion: Proceedings of the Royal Academy of Sciences.

Pronunciation note

The word process, an early 14th century French borrowing, has a regularly formed plural that adds -es to the singular. This plural, as in similar words like recesses and successes, has traditionally been pronounced [-iz] /-ɪz/: [pros-es-iz, proh-ses-] /ˈprɒs ɛs ɪz, ˈproʊ sɛs-/ or [pros-uh-siz, proh-suh-] /ˈprɒs ə sɪz, ˈproʊ sə-/. Recent years have seen the increasing popularity of an [-eez] /-ˌiz/ pronunciation for processes, perhaps by mistaken analogy with such plurals as theses and hypotheses, with which it has no connection. Although this newer pronunciation is increasingly common, it is regarded by some educated speakers as an affectation.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for processes

Contemporary Examples of processes

Historical Examples of processes

British Dictionary definitions for processes

process

1

noun

a series of actions that produce a change or developmentthe process of digestion
a method of doing or producing something
a forward movement
the course of time
  1. a summons, writ, etc, commanding a person to appear in court
  2. the whole proceedings in an action at law
a natural outgrowth or projection of a part, organ, or organism
a distinct subtask of a computer system which can be regarded as proceeding in parallel with other subtasks of the system
(modifier) relating to the general preparation of a printing forme or plate by the use, at some stage, of photography
(modifier) denoting a film, film scene, shot, etc, made by techniques that produce unusual optical effects

verb (tr)

to subject to a routine procedure; handle
to treat or prepare by a special method, esp to treat (food) in order to preserve itto process cheese
  1. to institute legal proceedings against
  2. to serve a process on
photog
  1. to develop, rinse, fix, wash, and dry (exposed film, etc)
  2. to produce final prints or slides from (undeveloped film)
computing to perform mathematical and logical operations on (data) according to programmed instructions in order to obtain the required information
to prepare (food) using a food processor

Word Origin for process

C14: from Old French procès, from Latin prōcessus an advancing, from prōcēdere to proceed

process

2

verb

(intr) to proceed in or as if in a procession

Word Origin for process

C19: back formation from procession
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for processes

process

n.

early 14c., "fact of being carried on" (e.g. in process), from Old French proces "a journey; continuation, development; legal trial" (13c.) and directly from Latin processus "a going forward, advance, progress," from past participle stem of procedere "go forward" (see proceed).

Meaning "course or method of action" is from mid-14c.; sense of "continuous series of actions meant to accomplish some result" (the main modern sense) is from 1620s. Legal sense of "course of action of a suit at law" is attested from early 14c.

process

v.1

1530s, "begin legal action against," from Middle French processer "to prosecute," from proces (see process (n.)). Meaning "prepare by special process" is from 1881, from the noun in English. Of persons, "to register and examine," by 1935. Related: Processed; processing.

process

v.2

"to go in procession," 1814, "A colloquial or humorous back-formation" from procession [OED]. Accent on second syllable.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for processes

process

[prŏs′ĕs′, prō′sĕs′]

n. pl. proc•ess•es (prŏs′ĕs′ĭz, prō′sĕs′-, prŏs′ĭ-sēz′, prō′sĭ-)

A series of actions, changes, or functions bringing about a result.
Advance or progress, as of a disease.
An outgrowth of tissue; a projecting part, as of a bone.
Related formsproc′ess adj.proc′ess v.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.