Standard Lemma guide

protocol

noun · verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpɹəʊtəˌkɒl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈpɹoʊtəˌkɑl/
  • General-American: /ˈpɹoʊtəˌkɔl/
  • General-American: /ˈpɹoʊtəˌkoʊl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˈpɹəʉtəˌkoːl/
  • Australian: /ˈpɹəʉtəˌkɔl/
  • CMU ARPABET: P R OW1 T AH0 K AA2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: P R OW1 T AH0 K AO2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The minutes, or official record, of a negotiation or transaction; especially a document drawn up officially which forms the legal basis for subsequent agreements based on it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, historical, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An official record of a diplomatic meeting or negotiation; later specifically, a draft document setting out agreements to be signed into force by a subsequent formal treaty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, countable, uncountable

Qualifier: international law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An amendment to an official treaty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: international law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The first leaf of a roll of papyrus, or the official mark typically found on such a page.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The official formulas which appeared at the beginning or end of certain official documents such as charters, papal bulls etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The original notes of observations made during an experiment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The precise method for carrying out or reproducing a given experiment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

The official rules and guidelines for heads of state and other dignitaries, governing accepted behaviour in relations with other diplomatic representatives or over affairs of state.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

An accepted code of conduct; acceptable behaviour in a given situation or group.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A set of formal rules describing how to transmit or exchange data, especially across a network.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

The set of instructions allowing a licensed medical professional to start, modify, or stop a medical or patient care order.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

The introduction of a liturgical preface, immediately following the Sursum corda dialogue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: Catholicism, Christianity, Roman-Catholicism

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

noun

Meaning 13

In some programming languages, a data type declaring a set of members that must be implemented by a class or other data type.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: object-oriented programming

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To make a protocol of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

verb

Meaning 15

To make or write protocols, or first drafts; to issue protocols.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

code of correct conduct

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • safety protocols
  • academic protocol

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: code of conduct, code of behavior

17

noun

Meaning 17

forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: etiquette

18

noun

Meaning 18

(computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of data

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: communications protocol

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rule, prescript

Narrower terms: file transfer protocol, FTP, hypertext transfer protocol, HTTP, musical instrument digital interface, MIDI, transmission control protocol, TCP, transmission control protocol/internet protocol, TCP/IP

History

Etymology

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”).

Across languages

Translations

120 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: արարողակարգ (araroġakarg) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Belarusian: пратако́л (pratakól) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Bulgarian: протоко́л (protokól) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Catalan: protocol — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Chinese Mandarin: 外交禮節 /外交礼节 (wàijiāo lǐjié) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Danish: protokol — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Esperanto: protokolo — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Finnish: protokolla — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • French: protocole — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Georgian: პროტოკოლი (ṗroṭoḳoli) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Greek: πρωτόκολλο (protókollo) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Hungarian: protokoll — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Icelandic: prótókollur — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Ido: protokolo — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Italian: protocollo — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Māori: kawa — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Persian: راهبرد (râhbord) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Polish: protokół — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Portuguese: protocolo — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Romanian: protocol — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Russian: протоко́л (protokól) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Serbo-Croatian: про̏токол — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Serbo-Croatian: поступник — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Serbo-Croatian: prȍtokol — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Serbo-Croatian: postupnik — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Spanish: protocolo — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Swedish: protokoll — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Turkish: protokol — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Ukrainian: протоко́л (protokól) — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Welsh: protocol — rule, guideline etc which guides diplomatic behaviour
  • Armenian: արձանագրություն (arjanagrutʻyun) — diplomatic document
  • Belarusian: пратако́л (pratakól) — diplomatic document
  • Bulgarian: протоко́л (protokól) — diplomatic document
  • Chinese Mandarin: 議定書 /议定书 (yìdìngshū) — diplomatic document
  • Finnish: protokolla — diplomatic document
  • Finnish: pöytäkirja — diplomatic document
  • Finnish: muistiinpanot — diplomatic document
  • French: protocole — diplomatic document
  • Georgian: პროტოკოლი (ṗroṭoḳoli) — diplomatic document
  • Greek: πρωτόκολλο (protókollo) — diplomatic document
  • Japanese: 議定書 (giteisho) — diplomatic document
  • Kazakh: хаттама (xattama) — diplomatic document
  • Korean: 의정서 (uijeongseo) — diplomatic document
  • Polish: protokół — diplomatic document
  • Romanian: protocol — diplomatic document
  • Russian: протоко́л (protokól) — diplomatic document
  • Swedish: protokoll — diplomatic document
  • Thai: พิธีสาร (pí-tii-sǎan) — diplomatic document
  • Ukrainian: протоко́л (protokól) — diplomatic document
  • Welsh: protocol — diplomatic document
  • Armenian: արձանագրություն (arjanagrutʻyun) — treaty amendment
  • Belarusian: пратако́л (pratakól) — treaty amendment
  • Bulgarian: протоко́л (protokól) — treaty amendment
  • Finnish: pöytäkirja — treaty amendment
  • Russian: протоко́л (protokól) — treaty amendment
  • Thai: พิธีสาร (pí-tii-sǎan) — treaty amendment
  • Ukrainian: протоко́л (protokól) — treaty amendment
  • Welsh: protocol — treaty amendment
  • Albanian: protokoll — computing
  • Arabic: بْرُوتُوكُول (brotokōl) — computing
  • Azerbaijani: protokol — computing
  • Belarusian: пратако́л (pratakól) — computing
  • Bulgarian: протоко́л (protokól) — computing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 協定 /协定 (xiédìng) — computing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 協議 /协议 (xiéyì) — computing
  • Czech: protokol — computing
  • Danish: protokol — computing
  • Estonian: protokoll — computing
  • Finnish: protokolla — computing
  • French: protocole — computing
  • Georgian: პროტოკოლი (ṗroṭoḳoli) — computing
  • Georgian: ოქმი (okmi) — computing
  • German: Protokoll — computing
  • Greek: πρωτόκολλο (protókollo) — computing
  • Haitian Creole: pwotokòl — computing
  • Hindi: प्रोटोकॉल (proṭokŏl) — computing
  • Hungarian: protokoll — computing
  • Indonesian: protokol — computing
  • Italian: protocollo — computing
  • Japanese: プロトコル (purotokoru) — computing
  • Kazakh: хаттама (xattama) — computing
  • Korean: 프로토콜 (peurotokol) — computing
  • Kyrgyz: протокол (protokol) — computing
  • Latvian: protokols — computing
  • Lithuanian: protokolas — computing
  • Macedonian: протокол (protokol) — computing
  • Malay: protokol — computing
  • Mongolian: протокол (protokol) — computing
  • Norwegian Bokmål: protokoll — computing
  • Persian: پروتکل (porôtokol) — computing
  • Polish: protokół — computing
  • Portuguese: protocolo — computing
  • Romanian: protocol — computing
  • Russian: протоко́л (protokól) — computing
  • Serbo-Croatian: про̏токол — computing
  • Serbo-Croatian: prȍtokol — computing
  • Slovak: protokol — computing
  • Slovene: protokol — computing
  • Spanish: protocolo — computing
  • Swahili: itifaki — computing
  • Swedish: protokol — computing
  • Tajik: протокол (protokol) — computing
  • Telugu: ప్రోటోకాల్ (prōṭōkāl) — computing
  • Thai: โพรโทคอล — computing
  • Turkish: protokol — computing
  • Turkmen: protokol — computing
  • Ukrainian: протоко́л (protokól) — computing
  • Uzbek: protokol — computing
  • Vietnamese: giao thức — computing
  • Welsh: protocol — computing
  • Bulgarian: протоколи́рам (protokolíram) — to make a protocol of
  • Chinese Mandarin: 擬訂 /拟订 (nǐdìng) — to make a protocol of
  • Chinese Mandarin: 拟定 (nǐdìng) — to make a protocol of
  • Finnish: pitää pöytäkirjaa — to make a protocol of
  • German: protokollieren — to make a protocol of
  • Greek: πρωτοκολλώ (protokolló) — to make a protocol of
  • Russian: протоколи́ровать (protokolírovatʹ) — to make a protocol of
  • Russian: запротоколи́ровать (zaprotokolírovatʹ) — to make a protocol of
  • Swedish: protokollföra — to make a protocol of
  • Greek: πρωτοκολλώ (protokolló) — to issue protocols
Real reading context

protocol in complete knowledge articles