procedural

1 of 2

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsē-jə-rəl 

-ˈsēj-rəl

: of or relating to procedure

especially : of or relating to the procedure used by courts or other bodies administering substantive law

procedurally adverb

procedural

2 of 2

noun

: a realist crime novel, film, or television drama with a specific focus

a courtroom procedural

especially : police procedural

Examples of procedural in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

These sessions do not include the full lower chamber, but rather sessions where a few members meet for procedural reasons. —Yash Roy, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024

Olivera joined the procedural's cast to fill in the gap left by Katherine Renee Kane, who departed the series after four seasons. —Julia Moore, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Noun

The 9-1-1 franchise was conceived as high-end broadcast procedurals with star casts and elaborate special effects, so to do that in Hawaii without adjustments would be challenging. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024

The Beauty is a sci-fi procedural focused on two cops, detectives Foster and Vaughn, who are investigating a strange but poignant phenomenon that swept the nation: an STD that burns fat, chisels jaws, sculpts muscles, and makes the infected beautiful. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1876, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing procedural

• police procedural
• procedural due process
• procedural face mask
• procedural mask

Medical Definition

procedural

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsēj-(ə-)rəl 

: relating to or comprising memory or knowledge concerned with how to manipulate symbols, concepts, and rules to accomplish a task or solve a problem compare declarative

Legal Definition

procedural

adjective

pro·​ce·​dur·​al prə-ˈsē-jə-rəl 

: of or relating to procedure

sentence reversed as result of procedural error in sentencing

—National Law Journal

compare substantive

procedurally adverb