Protocol

A record or register. Among the Romans, protocollunt was a writing at the head of the first page of the paper used by the notaries or tabellions.

In France the minutes of notarial acts were formerly transcribed on registers, which were called protocols.

By the German law it signifies the minutes of any transaction. In the latter sense the word has of late been received into international law.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.