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ordain

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Ordain is defined as to give someone religious authority, or to order or decree.

(verb)

An example of to ordain is to make someone a priest.
An example of to ordain is to implement a new holy order.

See ordain in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

Obsolete to put in order; arrange; prepare
1. to decree; order; establish; enact
2. to predetermine; predestine
to invest with the functions or office of a minister, priest, or rabbi

Origin: ME ordeinen < OFr ordener < L ordinare, to arrange (in LL(Ec), to ordain as a priest) < L ordo, order

intransitive verb

to command; decree

Related Forms:

ordainer noun
ordainment noun

See ordain in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb or·dained, or·dain·ing, or·dains

a. To invest with ministerial or priestly authority; confer holy orders on.
b. To authorize as a rabbi.
To order by virtue of superior authority; decree or enact.
To prearrange unalterably; predestine: by fate ordained. See Synonyms at dictate.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English ordeinen

Origin: , from Old French ordener, ordein-

Origin: , from Latin ōrdināre, to organize, appoint to office

Origin: , from ōrdō, ōrdin-, order; see ar- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

or·dainˈer noun

or·dainˈment noun

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