protocol
n. C / Un. a set of official rules for how to do something correctly. In science or medicine, it is the exact plan for an experiment or treatment.
n. a formal set of rules or procedures governing a specific activity, particularly in diplomatic, medical, or technical contexts. Often refers to the standardized language used for data exchange between computers.
The hospital has a strict protocol for cleaning the rooms.
The research team followed the established protocol to ensure the results of the drug trial were accurate and repeatable.
In international diplomacy, even a minor breach of protocol regarding seating arrangements can be interpreted as a significant political slight, potentially derailing sensitive negotiations before they have even begun.
Borrowed from Middle French protocolle, protocole (“document, record”), from Late Latin protocollum (“the first sheet of a volume (on which contents and errata were written)”), from Byzantine Greek πρωτόκολλον (prōtókollon, “first sheet glued onto a manuscript”), from πρῶτος (prôtos, “first”) + κόλλα (kólla, “glue”). Doublet of collage, collagen, and colloid.
Often used with the verbs 'follow', 'establish', or 'breach'. In computing, it is typically countable, referring to specific communication standards like HTTP.