ordinance
UK: ˈɔːdɪnəns | US: ˈɔːrdənəns
n. an authoritative rule or law enacted by a government or organization
n. a religious rite or ceremony
n. (archaic) orderly arrangement or preparation
The word ordinance traces back to Latin ordinantia, derived from ordinare ("to arrange, appoint"). It entered Middle English via Old French, retaining its core sense of "orderly arrangement." Over time, it specialized to mean "authoritative decree" (reflecting imposed order) and "religious rite" (structured ceremony). The morpheme ordin- persists in related words like ordinate, subordinate, and coordinate, all tied to the concept of systematic arrangement.
The city council passed a new ordinance restricting parking in residential areas.
The king issued an ordinance to standardize trade practices across the realm.
The priest performed the ordinance of baptism with solemn reverence.
Medieval guilds operated under strict ordinances to maintain quality.
(Archaic) "All things in ordinance sit"—a poetic reference to cosmic order.