process
noun
Process — a phenomenon unfolding gradually through a sequence of changes
Definition
A sustained phenomenon or one marked by gradual changes through a series of states; "events now in process"; "the process of calcification begins later for boys than for girls"
In depth
A process is a sustained phenomenon marked by gradual change, moving through a series of states over time rather than occurring all at once. Where an event is sudden and discrete, a process is extended and continuous, the slow unfolding by which something becomes what it will be.
Origin
The word derives from Latin processus, an advance or progression, from procedere, to go forward. That sense of forward movement remains central to the modern word, distinguishing a process from a static state by its essential quality of advancing, however slowly, toward some further point.
Usage examples
"Healing, the doctor reminded her, is a process, not a single moment to be rushed past."
"The factory's manufacturing process had remained, in its essentials, unchanged for nearly a century."
"Grief moved through her in stages she had not expected, a process with its own stubborn, ungovernable rhythm."
How to use it
Process is invaluable in writing that emphasizes gradual transformation over sudden occurrence — memoir, science writing, and any narrative interested in development rather than rupture. It pairs naturally with verbs of becoming and unfolding.
Related concepts
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