ordination
UK: ˌɔːdɪˈneɪʃən | US: ˌɔːrdɪˈneɪʃən
n. the act of ordaining or conferring holy orders in a religious ceremony
n. the arrangement or classification of things in a systematic order
n. (statistics) the process of assigning ranks to data points
The word "ordination" traces back to the Latin ordinatio, derived from ordinare (to arrange, appoint), which itself comes from ordo (order, rank). The morpheme ordin preserves the core idea of "order," while -ation transforms the verb into a noun denoting the process or result of ordering. Historically, it evolved from secular uses (e.g., organizing troops) to specialized religious and statistical contexts, reflecting a logical progression from physical arrangement to abstract hierarchy.
The bishop presided over the ordination of new priests.
The ordination of species in the taxonomy system follows strict rules.
Data ordination helps visualize patterns in ecological studies.
Her ordination ceremony was attended by clergy from across the country.
The ordination of tasks improved the team's efficiency.