order

1 of 2

verb

or·​der ˈȯr-dər How to pronounce order (audio)
ordered; ordering ˈȯr-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce order (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to put in order : arrange
The books are ordered alphabetically by author.
2
a
: to give an order to : command
They ordered everyone out of the house.
b
: destine, ordain
so ordered by the gods
c
: to command to go or come to a specified place
ordered back to the base
d
: to give an order for
order a meal
I ordered the books from the company's website.
The judge ordered a new trial.

intransitive verb

1
: to bring about order : regulate
a renascence of the spirit that orders and controlsH. G. Wells
2
a
: to issue orders : command
The general orders and soldiers obey.
b
: to give or place an order
Be sure to order before it's too late.
orderable adjective
orderer noun

order

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a group of people united in a formal way: such as
(1)
: a fraternal society
the Masonic Order
(2)
: a community under a religious rule
especially : one requiring members to take solemn vows
b
: a badge or medal of such a society
also : a military decoration
2
a
: any of the several grades of the Christian ministry
b
orders plural : the office of a person in the Christian ministry
c
orders plural : ordination
3
a
: a rank, class, or special group in a community or society
b
: a class of persons or things grouped according to quality, value, or natural characteristics: such as
(1)
: a category of taxonomic classification ranking above the family and below the class
(2)
: the broadest category in soil classification
4
a(1)
: rank, level
a statesman of the first order
(2)
: category, class
in emergencies of this orderR. B. Westerfield
b(1)
: the arrangement or sequence of objects or of events in time
listed the items in order of importance
the batting order
(2)
: a sequential arrangement of mathematical elements
d(1)
: the number of times differentiation is applied successively
derivatives of higher order
(2)
of a differential equation : the order of the derivative of highest order
e
: the number of columns or rows or columns and rows in a magic square, determinant, or matrix
the order of a matrix with 2 rows and 3 columns is 2 by 3
f
: the number of elements in a finite mathematical group
5
a(1)
: a sociopolitical system
was opposed to changes in the established order
(2)
: a particular sphere or aspect of a sociopolitical system
the present economic order
b
: a regular or harmonious arrangement
the order of nature
6
a
: a prescribed form of a religious service : rite
b
: the customary mode of procedure especially in debate
point of order
7
a
: the state of peace, freedom from confused or unruly behavior, and respect for law or proper authority
promised to restore order
see also law and order
b
: a specific rule, regulation, or authoritative direction : command
8
a
: a style of building
b
: a type of column and entablature forming the unit of a style
9
a
: state or condition especially with regard to functioning or repair
things were in terrible order
b
: a proper, orderly, or functioning condition
their passports were in order
the phone is out of order
10
a
: a written direction to pay money to someone
b
: a commission to purchase, sell, or supply goods or to perform work
c
: goods or items bought or sold
d
: an assigned or requested undertaking
landing men on the moon was a tall order
11
: order of the day
flat roofs were the order in the small villages
orderless adjective

Illustration of order

Illustration of order
  • 1 Corinthian
  • 2 Doric
  • 3 Ionic
Phrases
in order
: appropriate, desirable
an apology is in order
in order to
: for the purpose of
on order
: in the process of being ordered
on the order of
1
: after the fashion of : like
a genius on the order of NewtonD. B. Botkin
2
: about, approximately
spent on the order of two million dollars
to order
: according to the specifications of an order
shoes made to order
Choose the Right Synonym for order

order, arrange, marshal, organize, systematize, methodize mean to put persons or things into their proper places in relation to each other.

order suggests a straightening out so as to eliminate confusion.

ordered her business affairs

arrange implies a setting in sequence, relationship, or adjustment.

arranged the files numerically

marshal suggests gathering and arranging in preparation for a particular operation or effective use.

marshaling the facts for argument

organize implies arranging so that the whole aggregate works as a unit with each element having a proper function.

organized the volunteers into teams

systematize implies arranging according to a predetermined scheme.

systematized billing procedures

methodize suggests imposing an orderly procedure rather than a fixed scheme.

methodizes every aspect of daily living

synonyms see in addition command

Examples of order in a Sentence

Verb They ordered everyone out of the house. The soldiers were ordered back to the base. “Stop! Drop your weapon!” ordered the officer. The court threw out the conviction and ordered a new trial. The judge ordered that the charges be dismissed. He was accused of ordering the murder of his wife. I ordered the books from the company's website. The shirt you ordered should arrive in the mail in a couple of days. To order, call the number at the bottom of your screen. Order now and receive a free gift! Noun That's an order, not a request! Failing to comply with an order will result in the loss of your job. She received an order to appear in court. They can't close down the school without an order from the governor's office. The mayor gave an order to evacuate the city. It's not his fault. He was only following orders. I'm not taking orders from you! You're not my boss. The city was evacuated by order of the mayor. The store received an order for 200 roses this morning. They had trouble filling large customer orders.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The network has ordered new seasons of all three of its Chicago dramas — Med, Fire and PD — along with Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2024 The ex-deputy was also ordered to pay $79,500 in restitution to the victims. Emma Tucker, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 Brostrom ordered Walton to serve eight years in prison and four years of extended supervision for the homicide charge. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 Bateman was ordered jailed until the resolution of his trial, now scheduled for Sept. 10. CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024 The judge ordered five of the life sentences be served consecutively, KETK reports. Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 He was also ordered to attend mental health counseling and a restorative justice program. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 The company is ordered to raise all Black employees’ salaries 10 percent across the board and establish an equality task force. Emma Kumer, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Cooper also ordered Horne to pay the defendants' legal fees. Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
Two months after handing out a pilot order for Wizards, Ayo Davis’ Disney Branded Television banner has handed out a formal series order for the sequel series. Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2024 Throughout the conflict, the U.S. has repeatedly deployed top-ranking envoys to Israel in order to persuade Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his hardline government to take measures to protect civilians in Gaza. Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2024 Bailey wasted no time getting the interns in order on this week’s Grey's Anatomy. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 So, as Europe and now U.S. players look to co-produce higher end series in order to share costs, Series Mania, already the biggest festival in Europe, is likely to remain a place to be. John Hopewell, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 But when Spotify complained to the European Union, antitrust regulators opened a yearslong investigation that resulted in an order for Apple to stop such behavior and came with a whopping 1.8 billion euro ($2 billion) fine aimed at deterring the company from doing it again. Kelvin Chan, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 When planting hydrangeas near trees, check with your nursery to see how much spacing is ideal in order to protect the existing root system. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024 The order also requires the plant to update its emergency operations, clean and remove potentially dangerous debris and ensure proper staffing and training. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 In a stock filing immediately after the RBI’s order, Paytm warned the order to close Paytm Payments Bank could drag down annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization by up to 5 billion Indian rupees, or $60.4 million at current exchange rates. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 10 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'order.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from ordre, noun

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French ordre, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin ordin-, ordo ecclesiastical order, from Latin, arrangement, group, class; akin to Latin ordiri to lay the warp, begin

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of order was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near order

Cite this Entry

“Order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/order. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

order

1 of 2 verb
or·​der ˈȯrd-ər How to pronounce order (audio)
ordered; ordering ˈȯrd-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce order (audio)
1
: to put in order : arrange
ordered the books alphabetically
2
a
: to give an order to or for
ordered them to clean their rooms
order groceries
b
: to command to go or come to a certain place
order troops back to base
3
: to place an order
have you ordered yet?
orderer noun

order

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a group of people united in some way (as by living under the same religious rule or by loyalty to common interests and duties)
an order of monks
an order of knighthood
b
: the badge or emblem of such an order
c
: a military medal or award
2
plural : the Christian ministry
in orders
3
a
: a rank or class in society
the lower orders
b
: class entry 1 sense 3a, kind
emergencies of this order
c
: a category of biological classification ranking above the family and below the class
4
a
: the way objects in space or events in time are arranged or follow one another
the order of the seasons
in alphabetical order
b
: the established way or arrangement
the old order
c
: regular or harmonious arrangement or a condition having such an arrangement
kept my room in order
5
a
: the state of things when law or authority is obeyed
restored order after the riot
b
: a certain rule or direction : command
that's an order
6
a
: a style of building
b
: a type of architectural column with its related parts
7
: good working condition
out of order
8
a
: a direction to pay money, to buy or sell, or to supply goods or services
b
: goods or items bought or sold
an order of eggs and toast

Medical Definition

order

1 of 2 transitive verb
or·​der ˈȯrd-ər How to pronounce order (audio)
ordered; ordering ˈȯrd-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce order (audio)
: to give a prescription for : prescribe
the doctor ordered bed rest

order

2 of 2 noun
: a category of taxonomic classification ranking above the family and below the class

Legal Definition

order

1 of 2 noun
or·​der
1
: a state of peace, freedom from unruly behavior, and respect for law and proper authority
maintain law and order
2
: an established mode or state of procedure
a call to order
3
a
: a mandate from a superior authority see also executive order
b
: a ruling or command made by a competent administrative authority
specifically : one resulting from administrative adjudication and subject to judicial review and enforcement
an administrative order may not be inconsistent with the Constitution Wells v. State, 654 So. 2d 145 (1995)
c
: an authoritative command issued by the court
violated a court order and was jailed for contempt
cease-and-desist order \ ˌsēs-​ənd-​di-​ˈzist-​, -​ˈsist-​ \
: an order from a court or quasi-judicial tribunal to stop engaging in a particular activity or practice (as an unfair labor practice) compare injunction, mandamus, stay
consent order
: an agreement of litigating parties that by consent takes the form of a court order
final order
: an order of a court or quasi-judicial tribunal which leaves nothing further to be determined or accomplished in that forum except execution of the judgment and from which an appeal will lie
gag order
: an order barring public disclosure or discussion (as by the involved parties or the press) of information relating to a case
order to show cause
: an order requiring the prospective object of a legal action to show cause why that action should not take place

called also show cause order

pretrial order
: a court order setting out the rulings, stipulations, and other actions taken at a pretrial conference
protection order
: restraining order in this entry
protective order
: an order issued for the protection of a particular party: as
a : an order that limits, denies, or defers discovery by a party in order to prevent undue embarrassment, expense, oppression, or disclosure of trade secrets
b : restraining order in this entry
qualified domestic relations order
: an order, decree, or judgment that satisfies the criteria set out in section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code for the payment of all or part of individual pension, profit sharing, or retirement benefits usually to a divorcing spouse (as for alimony or child support)

Note: The alienation or assignment of funds under a qualified domestic relations order does not affect the tax status of the plan from which such funds are paid.

restraining order \ ri-​ˈstrā-​niŋ-​ \
: temporary restraining order in this entry
: an order of a specified duration issued after a hearing attended by all parties that is intended to protect one individual from violence, abuse, harassment, or stalking by another especially by prohibiting or restricting access or proximity to the protected party excluded from the home by a restraining order issued because of domestic violence

called also protection order, protective order

compare temporary restraining order in this entry
show cause order
: order to show cause in this entry
temporary restraining order
: an order of brief duration that is issued ex parte to protect the plaintiff's rights from immediate and irreparable injury by preserving a situation or preventing an act until a hearing for a preliminary injunction can be held
: a protective order issued ex parte for a brief period prior to a hearing on a restraining order attended by both parties and intended to provide immediate protection from violence or threatened violence
turnover order \ ˈtər-​ˌnō-​vər-​ \
: an order commanding one party to turn over property to another
especially : an order commanding a judgment debtor to turn over assets to a judgment creditor
turnover order in aid of execution California Code of Civil Procedure
d
: a command issued by a military superior
4
a
: a direction regarding the party to whom a negotiable instrument shall be paid
pay to the order of John Doe
see also money order, negotiable instrument
b
: an instruction or authorization especially to buy or sell goods or securities or to perform work
a purchase order
a work order
alternative order
: an order to a broker in which alternative methods of carrying out the order (as by buying or selling) are set forth
open order
: an order to buy securities or commodity futures that remains effective until filled or canceled
: an order for merchandise expressed in very general terms so that the seller has considerable latitude in selecting the articles actually provided
stop order
: an order to a broker to buy or sell a security when the price advances or declines to a designated level
c
: goods or items bought or sold
the order was received in good condition

order

2 of 2 adjective
: payable to a named person or to an individual that person names by an endorsement
order instrument
compare bearer

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