ordain

verb or·dain \ ȯr-ˈdān \

|Updated on: 12 Jul 2018

Examples: ordain in a Sentence

Definition of ordain

transitive verb

1 : to invest (see ¹invest 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

play \ȯr-ˈdān-mənt\ noun

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Examples of ordain in a Sentence

She is an ordained minister.
The process was ordained by law.

Recent Examples of ordain from the Web

He was ordained as a rabbi in 1980 at Academy for Jewish Religion in Yonkers, NY.

— sergio carmona, Jewish Journal, "Rabbi bringing people together through discussions," 22 June 2018
He had been ordained as a Greek Orthodox priest on Oct. 1, about a week before.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Organizers report better-than-expected turnout for first night of 12th annual Greek Festival in Bel Air," 16 June 2018
After completing graduate school at Catholic University, he was ordained in 1971.

— katy moeller, idahostatesman, "Father Faucher's fall from grace: Once a respected priest, now he holds Mass in jail," 4 June 2018
Trouble at the church Gallagher was ordained as a priest in 1992, and began his service in his native Northern Ireland.

— marc freeman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Disgruntled priest asking state Supreme Court to let him sue Catholic Church," 22 June 2018
Lickteig was ordained in 2010 and will join St. Mary’s after serving as pastor of two parishes in Southern Maryland.

— mary schneidau sullivan, Laurel Leader, "Camp offers "faith-deepening" adventures [Old Town]," 21 June 2018
Later this summer, another of St. Joseph’s former interns, John Martinez, will be ordained to the priesthood.

— melissa whatley, baltimoresun.com, "Recent Dulaney High grad recognized as student-athlete with a scholarship," 13 June 2018
Until the 1980s, Southern Baptist women were still being ordained, although there were just a relative handful of female pastors.

— author: michelle boorstein, sarah pulliam bailey, Anchorage Daily News, "How women led to the dramatic rise and fall of Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson," 11 June 2018
Until the 1980s, Southern Baptist women were still being ordained, although there were just a relative handful of female pastors.

— michelle boorstein, The Seattle Times, "Thousands of conservative women behind the fall of Southern Baptists’ Paige Patterson," 10 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ordain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ordain

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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