ordain

American  

[awr-deyn] / ɔrˈdeɪn /

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

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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 British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• ordainable adjective
• ordainer noun
• ordainment noun
• reordain verb (used with object)
• self-ordainer noun
• superordain verb (used without object)
• unordainable adjective

Etymology

Origin of ordain

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

Explanation

To ordain is to make someone a minister, priest, monk, or other member of the clergy. In the Catholic church, for example, a bishop ordains new priests. When you say that people have been ordained, you usually mean that they've been invested with special religion-related powers. In many Buddhist traditions, senior monks ordain new monks and, increasingly, female monks (or nuns) as well. Occasionally, this chiefly religious verb is used to mean "officially declare" or "decree" in a secular matter, as when a court ordains desegregation.

Example Sentences

Many Thai men also choose to temporarily ordain as monks to accumulate good karma.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2025

“The power to ‘define a crime and ordain its punishment’ is an exclusively legislative function,” the justices wrote.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 11, 2024

It happened in the wake of Saddleback’s determination as an autonomous local church to ordain female ministers — not as senior pastors of the church, but as associate ministers of the church.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2023

It also acknowledged the need to train more Afaan Oromo speaking priests and agreed to ordain more ethnic Oromos among high ranking clergy, it said in a statement.

From Reuters • Feb. 16, 2023

Having had their final test the evening before, there was nothing left but to ordain them.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Related Words

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