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From Old French proces (“‘journey’”), from Latin processus, past participle of procedo
Singular |
Plural |
process (plural processes)
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to process (third-person singular simple present processes, present participle processing, simple past and past participle processed)
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Back-formation from procession.
Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to process (third-person singular simple present processes, present participle processing, simple past and past participle processed)
Inflection for process | Singular | Plural | ||
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common | Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite |
Base form | process | processen | processer | processerna |
Possessive form | process | processens | processers | processernas |
process
A process is a series of stages in time where the last stage is the product, result or goal.
Processes may be planned or unplanned.
A process planned by humans has a purpose. It is a course of action, or a procedure, to achieve a result, or an end-product. The sequence from start to finish is the plan. A plan may be written, or programmed, or just held in the mind. Examples: building a house, fighting a battle, sowing crops; organising a wedding...
A natural process has no conscious purpose, and may or may not have a definite end-product. Though it has no purpose or plan, it may follow a series of well-defined natural changes. It can be investigated and described. Examples: the evolution of the solar system; biological evolution; the growth of melting of ice at the Arctic; the process of development from egg to adult.
Processes often repeat whenever certain conditions hold. Example: car low on petrol/gas, visit garage and refill. Most computer programs are of this type. Processes may be circular: planets revolve around sun; eggs produce chickens, and chickens produce eggs.
Processes, especially those which are cyclical, may be subject to feedback. A simple case is a central heating system. Even an unplanned natural process may be controlled by feedback: evolution is a good example, in which the feedback is effected by relative fecundity.[1]
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