procedurally
UK[prəˈsiːdʒərəli]US[prəˈsiːdʒərəli]
adv
In a way that relates to or follows an established procedure or set of rules.
adv
In a way that involves a series of steps performed in a fixed order.
Morpheme Breakdown
pro
ced
urally
pro
forward
ced
go
urally
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word 'procedurally' is built upon the core Latin verb cedere, meaning "to go". With the addition of the prefix pro- ("forward"), the combination procedere literally meant "to go forward, advance". This evolved into the noun 'procedure', denoting the act or method of moving forward, or a series of steps to be taken. The suffix -al then forms the adjective 'procedural', describing something related to such a method. Finally, the adverbial suffix -ly is appended to create 'procedurally', which describes the manner of an action performed by following a set, forward-moving sequence of steps. The term's logic perfectly captures the essence of rule-based systems, from legal processes to computer algorithms, which operate by advancing through a predefined sequence.
Analysis
Structure: pro (forward) + ced (go) + urally (adverb suffix)
- pro: Latin prefix meaning "forward, forth, in front of".
- ced: Latin root (from cedere) meaning "to go, move, yield".
- urally: A complex English adverbial suffix formed from -ure (noun suffix indicating a process or result) + -al (adjective suffix) + -ly (adverb suffix).
Examples
The data was generated procedurally by the software algorithm.
The police must act procedurally to ensure the evidence is admissible in court.
The game's vast landscapes are created procedurally, making each player's experience unique.