ordain

verb

or·​dain ȯr-ˈdān 

ordained; ordaining; ordains

transitive verb

1

: to invest (see invest entry 2 sense 1) officially (as by the laying on of hands) with ministerial or priestly authority

was ordained as a priest

2

a

: to establish or order by appointment, decree, or law : enact

we the people … do ordain and establish this Constitution

—U.S. Constitution

b

: destine, foreordain

It is futile to try to avoid what destiny has ordained.

intransitive verb

: to issue an order

so the gods have ordained

ordainer noun

ordainment

ȯr-ˈdān-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• destine
• doom
• fate
• foredoom
• foreordain
• predestine
• predetermine
• preordain

Examples of ordain in a Sentence

She is an ordained minister.

The process was ordained by law.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1972, at the age of twenty-seven, Ciotti was ordained by Michele Pellegrino, a left-wing cardinal. —D. T. Max, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024

The women part of this movement are ordaining themselves in direct defiance of the Vatican. —Lisa Ling, CBS News, 19 Sep. 2024

The blanket presidential immunity ordained in Trump v. United States was not even discernable in the penumbras, emanations or subtext of the Constitution. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 2 Aug. 2024

Many religious communities don’t allow them to be ordained as pastors, bishops or priests. —John Blake, CNN, 15 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ordeinen, from Anglo-French ordener, ordeiner, from Late Latin ordinare, from Latin, to put in order, appoint, from ordin-, ordo order

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

ordain

verb

or·​dain ȯr-ˈdān 

1

: to make a person a Christian minister or priest by a special ceremony

2

a

: decree entry 2

it was ordained by law

b

: destine sense 1

we seem ordained to fail