What does preordain mean?
Preordain is a formal, chiefly literary verb meaning to ordain, appoint, or establish something in advance. It is especially associated with theology and ideas of divine providence, where it describes a person or event as destined before the course of history unfolds. In less specialized writing, the word can convey that something was destined or determined beforehand, often with implications of inevitability. Because preordain is more dramatic and old-fashioned than foretell, predict, or arrange, it suits elevated prose, historical narrative, and formal discussion of religion or fate. The prefix pre- combines with ordain to make the temporal relation explicit: the appointment or determination occurs before the thing appointed or determined comes to pass. Although still understood by careful readers, preordain is now uncommon in everyday English and may sound rhetorical, archaic, or doctrinaire. Its rarity makes it especially useful when a writer wants to emphasize a sense of foreordained purpose rather than ordinary prediction.
verbTo ordain, appoint, or establish in advance; to foreordain.
- To ordain or appoint in advance, especially as to fate, destiny, or divine providence.
"In the novel, an ancient prophecy appears to preordain the heir's fate."
"The theologians argued that God had preordained each soul for salvation."
"Her talent for music seemed to preordain a successful concert career."
In theological writing, preordain evokes the dramatic idea that history's course was fixed before it unfolded.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does preordain come from?
Preordain is formed from the prefix pre-, meaning “before,” and ordain, meaning “to appoint, establish, or decree.” Ordain comes through Old French from Latin ordinare, “to put in order, arrange, or appoint,” which is related to Latin ordo, meaning “order” or “rank.” The prefixed form therefore literally means “to ordain beforehand,” and related words such as order, ordinary, and ordination reflect the same Latin root.
How preordain is actually used
Formal, literary, and uncommon in contemporary English. It is especially associated with theology, providence, and fate, and can sound archaic, elevated, or doctrinaire.
Easily confused with preordain
Ordain means to appoint, establish, or decree, while preordain adds the idea that this happens in advance.