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

Following in the footsteps of his older brother Brian, Farrell entered the Legionaries of Christ congregation in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1978 in Rome. —Chad De Guzman, Time, 22 Apr. 2025

Progressive Catholics have been pushing for women to be ordained as deacons and priests for years. —John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025

In 1969, four days short of his 33rd birthday, Bergoglio was ordained as a priest. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025

Shulman, 31, attended day school and Yeshiva University; he was ordained at its seminary. —Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for ordain

• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• blockchain
• butane
• campaign

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