I. ˈprä-ˌses, ˈprō-, -səs noun
( plural pro·cess·es -ˌse-səz, -sə-, -ˌsēz)
Etymology: Middle English proces, from Anglo-French procés, from Latin processus, from procedere
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : progress , advance
in the process of time
b. : something going on : proceeding
2.
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 process es as breathing
b. : a series of actions or operations conducing to an end ; especially : a continuous operation or treatment especially in manufacture
3.
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
4. : a prominent or projecting part of an organism or organic structure
a bone process
a nerve cell process
5. : conk VI
II. transitive verb
Date: 1532
1.
a. : to proceed against by law : prosecute
b.
(1) : to take out a summons against
(2) : to serve a summons on
2.
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 process es visual images relayed from the retina
(3) : to subject to examination or analysis
computers process data
c. : to work (hair) into a conk
III. adjective
Date: 1888
1. : treated or made by a special process especially when involving synthesis or artificial modification
2. : made by or used in a mechanical or photomechanical duplicating process
3. : of or involving illusory effects usually introduced during processing of the film
IV. prə-ˈses intransitive verb
Etymology: back-formation from procession (I)
Date: 1814
chiefly British : to move in a procession