What does procedurally mean?
Procedurally means according to an established procedure, prescribed rules, or a defined sequence of steps. It is used especially in technical, administrative, legal, and creative contexts to describe work carried out within a formal process. For example, procedurally generated art is produced through a defined system rather than by manually placing every element. The adverb can also suggest that an action follows accepted procedures closely, sometimes with the implication that the process itself is cumbersome or inflexible, although that connotation is not always intended. In ordinary conversation, “according to the proper procedure” may sound less technical and be easier to understand. Overall, procedurally is useful for specifying that the manner or method of an activity is governed by an established system.
adverbIn accordance with an established procedure or set of rules. It can also mean by means of a formal procedure.
- According to an established procedure or prescribed set of steps.
"The software was procedurally generated rather than written entirely by hand."
"The committee reviewed the application procedurally."
"The characters are procedurally placed within a landscape that changes as they move."
Procedurally turns a rulebook into an action: it describes doing something according to an established procedure rather than by personal instinct.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does procedurally come from?
The adverb was formed in the 19th century by adding -ly to procedural. Both procedural and procedure ultimately come through French from Latin procedere, a compound of pro-, meaning “forward,” and cedere, meaning “to go” or “to yield.” Related English words include proceed, process, and procession.
Related word forms
How procedurally is actually used
Usually formal or technical. It emphasizes conformity to a prescribed process and does not necessarily imply that the procedure is sensible or efficient.