Main Entry: pro·to·col

Pronunciation: \ˈprō-tə-ˌkȯl, -ˌkōl, -ˌkäl, -kəl\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle French prothocole, from Medieval Latin protocollum, from Late Greek prōtokollon first sheet of a papyrus roll bearing date of manufacture, from Greek prōt- prot- + kollan to glue together, from kolla glue; perhaps akin to Middle Dutch helen to glue

Date: 1541

1 : an original draft, minute, or record of a document or transaction
2 a : a preliminary memorandum often formulated and signed by diplomatic negotiators as a basis for a final convention or treaty b : the records or minutes of a diplomatic conference or congress that show officially the agreements arrived at by the negotiators
3 a : a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence (as in diplomatic exchange and in the military services) <a breach of protocol> b : a set of conventions governing the treatment and especially the formatting of data in an electronic communications system <network protocols> c : convention 3a,b
4 : a detailed plan of a scientific or medical experiment, treatment, or procedure