protocol

American  

[proh-tuh-kawl, -kol, -kohl] / ˈproʊ təˌkɔl, -ˌkɒl, -ˌkoʊl /

noun

• protocols
  plural

1. the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.

2. an original draft, minute, or record from which a document, especially a treaty, is prepared.

3. a supplementary international agreement.

4. an agreement between states.

5. an annex to a treaty giving data relating to it.

6. Medicine/Medical. the plan for carrying out a scientific study or a patient's treatment regimen.

7. Computers. a set of rules governing the format of messages that are exchanged between computers.

8. Also called protocol statement,.  Also called protocol proposition.  Also called protocol sentence,.  Philosophy. a statement reporting an observation or experience in the most fundamental terms without interpretation: sometimes taken as the basis of empirical verification, as of scientific laws.

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verb (used without object)

1. to draft or issue a protocol.

protocol British  

/ ˈprəʊtəˌkɒl /

noun

1. the formal etiquette and code of behaviour, precedence, and procedure for state and diplomatic ceremonies

2. a memorandum or record of an agreement, esp one reached in international negotiations, a meeting, etc

3. 1. a record of data or observations on a particular experiment or proceeding

   2. an annexe appended to a treaty to deal with subsidiary matters or to render the treaty more lucid

   3. a formal international agreement or understanding on some matter

4. an amendment to a treaty or convention

5. In full: protocol statement.  philosophy a statement that is immediately verifiable by experience See logical positivism

6. computing the set form in which data must be presented for handling by a particular computer configuration, esp in the transmission of information between different computer systems

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protocol Scientific  

/ prō′tə-kôl′,-kōl′ /

1. The plan for a course of medical treatment or for a scientific experiment.

2. A set of standardized procedures for transmitting or storing data, especially those used in regulating data transmission between computers or peripherals.

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Usage

What does protocol mean? Protocol generally means an official set of procedures for what actions to take in a certain situation. Protocol has many specific uses, but most of them deal with such a plan or the documents that spell out such a plan or agreement. Protocol is used in specific ways in the contexts of diplomacy, medicine, and computing, but it’s also often used in a general way in situations that require people to follow official procedures. Example: His failure to follow the safety procedures was a serious breach of protocol.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• protocolar
  adjective
• protocolary
  adjective
• protocolic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• protocols
  plural

Etymology

Origin of protocol

First recorded in 1535–45; earlier protocoll, from Medieval Latin prōtocollum, from Late Greek prōtókollon originally, “a leaf or tag attached to a rolled papyrus manuscript and containing notes as to contents.” See proto-, colloid

Explanation

Protocol is most often used when talking about the rules of government or official agencies. It is derived from the French and refers to the correct rules of etiquette for diplomats. The term protocol is used in many areas besides diplomatic ones. School marching bands or college admissions offices follow protocols, and doctors use them to treat patients with specific conditions. In tech circles, a protocol is a set of standards that programmers follow so that their work can be decoded by other computers. The p in the http of a web address stands for protocol. Without this type of protocol, you would not be able to read this page.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

protocol protocols

Supreme Court precedent, that would be better than putting her to death under Tennessee’s current protocol.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

"We need to examine whether the protocol is still appropriate and how we might want to adjust it."

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Zhu's remains will be cremated on Tuesday in Beijing, Xinhua said Sunday, with a farewell gathering attended by senior leaders of China's ruling Communist Party expected before, according to standard protocol.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

Section 10301 specifically ensures anyone controlling a protocol that operates like a securities intermediary doesn’t escape Exchange Act or Bank Secrecy Act obligations, including anti-money-laundering and countering the financing of terrorism requirements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

You're my first secret admirer and I don’t know all the protocol, but I’m hoping you’ll make an exception!

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

“That cooperative agreement is about preparing safety protocols, infrastructure, and regulatory readiness for small modular reactor technology as it matures,” Hacegaba said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Walid suggested PIMS's safety protocols were inadequate, despite it being a major hospital.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

It said fencing was improved and different management protocols were introduced following the Honchu incident.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited AI leaders to a meeting in New Delhi earlier this year, security protocols allowed each executive to bring one additional person with them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Then Joe would go home and find his seventh grader on the World Wide Web researching a term paper, using open protocols, and looking at the holdings of some art museum in France.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Related Words

• agreement
• code
• contract
• covenant
• custom
• obligation
• pact