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

The emergency protocol was first created by the Malibu City Council in 2024 and has been applied in all subsequent fire seasons.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

But there is no protocol for well-meaning mothers who suspect something about their 20-something who pays her own rent, doesn’t miss work and answers all her calls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

He was fined $14,650 for the protocol violation and missed a game because unvaccinated players had to isolate for 10 days after testing positive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Uganda has since announced it is totally Ebola-free, going against the protocol of waiting 42 days from when the last patient recovers to declare an outbreak over.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

"I must check that your rooms are secure before you retire. New protocol after those dead roses were found in your bathing chamber."

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

A proposed bill to tighten safety protocols at stone fabrication shops and publish reports of compliance was put on hold in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

"The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff," Communications Director Steven Cheung said in the statement.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

Federal aviation officials are investigating why air-traffic controllers hadn’t halted commercial flights at a nearby airport as required under safety protocols, The Wall Street Journal reported.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

After the most recent, when a gunman stormed a hotel in Washington during a White House dinner, Trump's security team said they would review their protocols for protecting the president.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

There were all sorts of cumbersome new factors to be considered and discussed—Secret Service protocols, emergency evacuation setups, strategies for protecting our kids’ privacy now that they had the eyes of a nation upon them.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

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