procedural
This term emphasizes the mechanics of a process over the actual content or outcome. In administrative or corporate settings, it often carries a connotation of rigidity or bureaucracy, suggesting a focus on following a predetermined sequence of steps regardless of the specific circumstances of a case.
In legal and entertainment contexts, the word shifts toward a technical or generic classification. A procedural error is a mistake in the application of rules rather than a failure of the law itself, while in television, the term describes a formulaic narrative structure where the professional methodology of the protagonists is the primary driver of the plot.
Meanings
Relating to the established or official way of doing something.
The company has a strict procedural manual for handling complaints.
Relating to the legal rules and methods used in a court of law rather than the substantive law.
The defense filed a procedural motion to dismiss the case on a technicality.