pro·to·col 
(prōtə-kôl′, -kōl′, -kŏl′)
(prōtə-kôl′, -kōl′, -kŏl′)n.
1.
a. The forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats and heads of state.
b. A code of correct conduct: safety protocols; academic protocol.
2. The first copy of a treaty or other such document before its ratification.
3. A preliminary draft or record of a transaction.
4. The plan for a course of medical treatment or for a scientific experiment.
5. Computers A standard procedure for regulating data transmission between computers.
intr.v. pro·to·coled, pro·to·col·ing, pro·to·cols or pro·to·colled or pro·to·col·ling
To form or issue protocols.
[French protocole, from Old French prothocolle, draft of a document, from Medieval Latin prōtocollum, from Late Greek prōtokollon, table of contents, first sheet : Greek prōto-, proto- + Greek kollēma, sheets of a papyrus glued together (from kollān, to glue together, from kolla, glue).]
proto·col′ar (-kŏlər), pro′to·cola·ry (-kŏlə-rē) adj.