What does ordaining mean?
Ordaining means formally appointing someone to a role or bringing something into authorized existence. Its best-known religious sense refers to the formal appointment of a minister, although the word is also used in legal, institutional, and governmental contexts to mean establishing, authorizing, or decreeing a person, office, or course of action. For example, a council might ordain a committee, while a religious denomination might ordain someone to the ministry. The verb is formal and occasionally carries a sense of solemn procedure or official authority. In everyday speech, simpler verbs such as appoint, appoint, appoint, appoint, or establish are usually preferable. Although “ordain” sounds restrictive, its broader uses range from appointing an official to arranging that a particular outcome should occur.
verbTo formally appoint someone to a position, especially a religious office, or to establish and authorize something by decree. In general contexts, it can mean to arrange or determine that something should happen.
- To formally appoint someone to an office, especially a religious office.
- To establish, authorize, or determine something by formal decree.
- To arrange or decree that a particular course of action should be followed.
"The council is ordaining a new committee to oversee the redevelopment project."
"The council is ordaining a new committee to oversee the redevelopment project."
"She was ordained as a minister after completing her theological training."
From Latin ordo, meaning “order,” ordaining began with the idea of putting a person or institution into an officially sanctioned place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ordaining come from?
The word entered Middle English through Old French, ultimately deriving from Latin ordinare, “to put in order,” from ordo, “order, rank, or arrangement.” Its original sense of putting people or matters into proper order developed into the modern meanings of formally establishing or appointing. The same Latin root produced English words including order, ordinary, ordinal, and ornament.
Related word forms
How ordaining is actually used
This is a formal word associated especially with religion, law, institutions, and official appointments. In general writing, establish, appoint, or authorize will often be more natural.
Easily confused with ordaining
To ordain is to appoint, authorize, or establish someone or something; an ordinance is a law or rule issued by a public authority.
Ordaining concerns formal appointment or authorization, whereas ordnance refers to military weapons, equipment, or supplies.