procedure

procedure — noun

1. a fixed set of steps that people follow to complete a task or handle a situation

1.nounB2
Definition

a fixed set of steps that people follow to complete a task or handle a situation, especially when these steps are the accepted or official way to do things in a particular place.

Example

New staff at the hotel learn the check-in procedure during their first week.

collocation: check-in procedure / learn a procedure

The airport has a security procedure that requires every bag to go through a scanner.

collocation: security procedure / requires [object] to [verb]

Common collocations
  • follow a procedure
  • standard procedure
  • correct procedure
  • procedure for
  • establish a procedure
  • emergency procedure
Synonyms
  • process

    a broader term that includes natural, continuous changes, not just deliberate steps

  • protocol

    more formal; used for diplomatic, medical, or military rules

  • method

    focuses on the technique or system used, not the exact sequence of steps

  • routine

    less formal; suggests steps done regularly, often without much thought

Antonyms
  • improvisation

    doing something without a fixed plan or set of steps

Grammar Patterns

procedure + for + noun/gerund

Usage Note

Often followed by the preposition 'for' ('procedure for + noun/gerund'). Very common in business, legal, and administrative contexts.

Common Mistakes

The manufacturing procedure takes three days.' (when referring to a natural transformation)。
The manufacturing process takes three days.
'procedure' is about fixed steps you follow; 'process' is about a natural or ongoing series of changes.

2. a medical treatment or operation that a doctor or surgeon carries out on a patie

2.nounC1
Definition

a medical treatment or operation that a doctor or surgeon carries out on a patient's body to fix a health problem or find out what is wrong.

Example

Kwame needed a short procedure on his knee to repair the torn ligament.

collocation: procedure on [body part] / repair [something]

The doctor explained the whole procedure to Anjali before starting it.

collocation: explain the procedure to [someone]

Common collocations
  • perform a procedure
  • undergo a procedure
  • medical procedure
  • minor procedure
  • surgical procedure
  • have a procedure
Synonyms
  • operation

    more specific; usually involves cutting into the body (surgery)

  • treatment

    broader; includes medicine and therapy, not just physical intervention

  • surgery

    refers specifically to cutting open the body

  • intervention

    formal; any medical action taken to improve a condition

Usage Note

Typically used with the verbs 'perform', 'undergo', 'have', or 'carry out'. Often preceded by an adjective describing the type ('minor', 'surgical', 'cosmetic', 'diagnostic').

Common Mistakes

The nurse gave me a procedure for my stomach pain.
The doctor performed a procedure to examine my stomach.
'procedure' in the medical sense is usually performed by a doctor, not a nurse, and is not a medicine you take.

3. a block of code inside a larger software program, carrying out one particular jo

3.nounC1
Definition

a block of code inside a larger software program, carrying out one particular job when the computer runs it.

Example

The program uses a search procedure to find the customer in the database.

collocation: search procedure / uses a procedure to [verb]

Andrés wrote a procedure that saves the file automatically every five minutes.

collocation: write a procedure / saves [something] automatically

Common collocations
  • call a procedure
  • run a procedure
  • define a procedure
  • login procedure
  • search procedure
  • write a procedure
Synonyms
  • subroutine

    an older term for a reusable block of code, essentially the same as procedure

  • function

    similar but usually returns a value; common in many modern languages

  • method

    a procedure that belongs to a specific class or object in object-oriented programming

  • routine

    general term for any block of code that performs a task

Usage Note

In many modern programming languages, the term 'function' is more common than 'procedure'. 'Procedure' is still used when the code does not return a value (in contrast to a function, which does).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Procedure', 'process', 'protocol', 'method', and 'routine' all refer to ways of doing things, but they differ in emphasis. A 'procedure' is a fixed set of steps you are expected to follow, especially in an official or professional setting — for example, the check-in procedure at an airport. A 'process' is a broader term for a series of natural or deliberate changes that lead to a result; you cannot easily skip steps in a process because it unfolds over time. A 'protocol' is the most formal of the group, often used for diplomatic, medical, or military rules that must be followed exactly. A 'method' focuses on the technique or system used rather than the exact sequence, so there can be different methods for achieving the same result. A 'routine' is less formal and suggests steps done regularly and almost automatically, such as a morning routine. If someone says 'follow standard procedure', they mean a strict official sequence; if they say 'follow your usual routine', the expectation is looser.

process ↗protocol ↗method ↗routine ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • standard procedure
  • written procedure
  • normal procedure
  • established procedure

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'procedure' comes from the Latin verb 'procedere', meaning 'to go forward' or 'to march ahead'. 'Procedere' was formed from 'pro-' ('forward') and 'cedere' ('to go'). French borrowed it as 'procédure', and English adopted it around the 16th century, first in legal contexts and later in general use.