ordain

[ awr-deyn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to invest with ministerial, priestly, or rabbinical functions.
2. to enact or establish by law, edict, etc.:

   to ordain a new type of government.

3. to decree; give orders for:

   He ordained that the restrictions were to be lifted.

   Synonyms: determine, prescribe, order

4. (of God, fate, etc.) to destine or predestine:

   Fate had ordained the meeting.

   Synonyms: predetermine

verb (used without object)

1. to order or command:

   Thus do the gods ordain.

2. to select for or appoint to an office.
3. to invest someone with sacerdotal functions.

ordain

/ ɔːˈdeɪn /

verb

1. to consecrate (someone) as a priest; confer holy orders upon
2. may take a clause as object to decree, appoint, or predestine irrevocably
3. may take a clause as object to order, establish, or enact with authority
4. obsolete.
   to select for an office

Derived Forms

• orˈdainment, noun
• orˈdainer, noun

Other Words From

• or·dain·a·ble adjective
• or·dain·er noun
• or·dain·ment noun
• re·or·dain verb (used with object)
• self-or·dain·er noun
• su·per·or·dain verb (used without object)
• un·or·dain·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ordain¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ordeinen, from Old French ordener, from Latin ordināre “to order, arrange, appoint”; ordination

Word History and Origins

Origin of ordain¹

C13: from Anglo-Norman ordeiner, from Late Latin ordināre, from Latin ordo order

Example Sentences

According to its ideology, the revolution was a means for Shia clergy to prepare for the long-awaited return of the Twelfth divinely ordained Shia Imam and descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

From Time

My belief is that come September, we will see that the belief that inflation was ordained is completely incorrect, because debt generated by fiscal policy is inherently disinflationary or deflationary.

From Washington Post

That whole journey was about 10 years of going away and training to become a monk and then train as a novice monk and eventually becoming a fully ordained monk.

From Ozy

To Schlafly and her allies then, the military reflected a God-ordained, natural balance, and the ERA threatened to upend it.

From Washington Post

The Mandarin word yuánfèn, 缘分, refers to a relationship ordained by fate or destiny.

From Ozy

And no religious denomination should be forced to ordain gays or women as priests, right?

From The Daily Beast

The letter also ordered her to “take down www.ordainwomen.org and disassociat[e] yourself from Ordain Women.”

From The Daily Beast

Kate Kelly, the leader of Ordain Women, was officially excommunicated.

From The Daily Beast

The Ordain Women website posted some of Harrison's email to Kelly informing her of her excommunication.

From The Daily Beast

Among other things, Weiss had the beautiful chutzpah to ordain Orthodox women.

From The Daily Beast

They say they ordain and establish it; we do not speak of ordaining leagues and compacts.

From Project Gutenberg

It is very proper to say, too, I suppose, that it is an imposition when the bishops ordain the ministers?

From Project Gutenberg

The bishops will ordain no persons whose names have not been submitted to the Government and approved by it.

From Project Gutenberg

"The deities ordain and the balance weighs; your reward will be the greater," replied Ten-teh.

From Project Gutenberg

The government they aimed at was not democracy, but theocracy: "God never did ordain democracy as a fit government," said Cotton.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• anoint
• appoint
• bless
• consecrate
• elect
• enact
• nominate