protocol
/ˈprəʊ.tə.kɒl/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
A system of rules for how people should behave or how things should be done in a formal situation. It is common in offices, hospitals, technology, and diplomacy.
- The hospital followed strict protocol.
- Please follow safety protocol at all times.
- Email protocol changed after the meeting.
- 2.
A plan for how two computers or devices communicate with each other.
- The devices use a secure protocol.
- This protocol protects user data.
- Our app supports the latest protocol.
Adinary Nuance
Protocol is more formal than procedure and more specific than rule. A procedure is a step-by-step way of doing something, while a protocol is often the official version used in serious or technical settings. Writers choose protocol when the rules are fixed, formal, or important for safety or communication.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- quy trình
- Spanish
- protocolo
- Chinese
- 协议
- Japanese
- 手順
- Korean
- 규약
Etymology
Protocol came into English from French and Latin in the 1600s. It first meant an official record or document, then a rule for proper action.
Common phrases
follow protocolstrict protocolhospital protocolcommunication protocol
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is protocol a formal word?
- Yes. It is common in formal, academic, medical, and technical English.
- What is the difference between protocol and procedure?
- A procedure is a method or set of steps. A protocol is usually a more formal or official set of rules.
- Can protocol be used in computers?
- Yes. In computing, it means the rules devices use to communicate.
- Is protocol countable?
- Yes. You can say 'a protocol' or 'protocols' when talking about different systems or rules.