Video

Blog: Words at Play

My Faves

Dictionary

¹process

noun pro·cess \ˈprä-ˌses, ˈprō-, -səs\

: a series of actions that produce something or that lead to a particular result

: a series of changes that happen naturally

medical : something that sticks out of something else

plural pro·cess·es \-ˌse-səz, -sə-, -ˌsēz\

Full Definition of PROCESS

a : progress, advance <in the process of time>

b : something going on : proceeding

a (1) : a natural phenomenon marked by gradual changes that lead toward a particular result <the process of growth> (2) : a continuing natural or biological activity or function <such life processes as breathing>

b : a series of actions or operations conducing to an end; especially : a continuous operation or treatment especially in manufacture

a : the whole course of proceedings in a legal action

b : the summons, mandate, or writ used by a court to compel the appearance of the defendant in a legal action or compliance with its orders

: a prominent or projecting part of an organism or organic structure <a bone process> <a nerve cell process>

: ⁶conk

See process defined for English-language learners

See process defined for kids

Origin of PROCESS

Middle English proces, from Anglo-French procés, from Latin processus, from procedere

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PROCESS

Synonyms: course, operation, procedure, proceeding

Antonyms: recess, recession, regress, regression, retreat, retrogression

Rhymes with PROCESS

abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress

²process

verb

Definition of PROCESS

transitive verb

a : to proceed against by law : prosecute

b (1) : to take out a summons against (2) : to serve a summons on

a : to subject to a special process or treatment (as in the course of manufacture or film development)

b (1) : to subject to or handle through an established usually routine set of procedures <process insurance claims> (2) : to integrate sensory information received so that an action or response is generated <the brain processes visual images relayed from the retina> (3) : to subject to examination or analysis <computers process data>

c : to work (hair) into a conk

First Known Use of PROCESS

1532

Rhymes with PROCESS

Knossos

³process

adjective

Definition of PROCESS

: treated or made by a special process especially when involving synthesis or artificial modification

: made by or used in a mechanical or photomechanical duplicating process

: of or involving illusory effects usually introduced during processing of the film

First Known Use of PROCESS

1888

⁴process

verb pro·cess \prə-ˈses\

Definition of PROCESS

intransitive verb

chiefly British

: to move in a procession

Origin of PROCESS

back-formation from ¹procession

First Known Use: 1814

PROCESSED Defined for Kids

¹process

noun pro·cess \ˈprä-ˌses, ˈprō-\

Definition of PROCESS for Kids

: a series of actions, motions, or operations leading to some result <the manufacturing process>

: a series of changes that occur naturally <the growth process>

²process

verb

pro·cessedpro·cess·ing

Definition of PROCESS for Kids

: to change by a special treatment <The fruit is picked and processed for shipment.>

: to take care of according to a routine <His job is to process insurance claims.>

: to take in and organize for use <Computers process data.>

Medical Dictionary

process

noun pro·cess \ˈpräs-ˌes, ˈprōs-, -əs\

Medical Definition of PROCESS

a : a natural progressively continuing operation or development marked by a series of gradual changes that succeed one another in a relatively fixed way and lead toward a particular result or end <the process of growth> <the process of digestion> b : a natural continuing activity or function <such life processes as breathing and the circulation of the blood>

: a prominent or projecting part of an organism or organic structure <a bone process> <a nerve cell process>