English · Word Candidate

procedural

/pɹəˈsiːd͡ʒ(ə)ɹəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: procedurals

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Related to procedure.

Adjective

Examples

The judge dismissed the case on procedural grounds: it wasn't the facts or the law, but just that they hadn't filed the correct forms.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Generated by means of a procedure, rather than being designed.

Adjective

Examples

a procedural texture

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A type of literature, film, or television program involving a sequence of technical detail.

Noun

Examples

It is only fitting that the investigation of place-based police procedurals begins in America, where the police procedural was invented and turned into a literary art form.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “procedural” mean?

Related to procedure.

Is “procedural” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.