Proc

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. To initiate or trigger a process or event in a system, especially in computing or gaming contexts where an action causes a response; a procedure or method of handling tasks; a record or invoice documenting a transaction
2. To cause a particular function or operation to start, often used in technical environments to describe automated responses; a series of actions designed to accomplish a task; documentation summarizing a commercial or official action
3. To activate or cause execution of a specific mechanism or effect within a program or machine; a sequence of steps aimed at achieving a goal; a formal statement or paper that details a business exchange or medical treatment

Etymology: "Proc" is a clipped form, cut down from two longer words. In computing it is most often shortened from "procedure" or from "processor," and the two are easy to confuse, since both name a unit of work inside a program or a chip. The tempting story is that "proc" stands for "programmed random occurrence," a neat acronym for a chance event. That is a backronym, an expansion invented after the fact to fit a short form that already existed. The clipped word came first, and the phrase was built to explain it. As a noun meaning a process, "proc" is essentially a jargon shortening. Programmers trimmed the longer words to save typing and space, a habit common in early computing where every character counted, and the short form stuck in everyday technical speech.

Synonyms: procedure, process