ordain
or·dain/ɔɹˈdeɪn/verb
ordain is spelled O-R-D-A-I-N: 6 letters and 2 syllables (or·dain). It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 54,192nd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, ordain means “To prearrange unalterably” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in ordain?
| Letters | 6: O-R-D-A-I-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: or·dain |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 54,192nd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is ordain?
Ordain appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 54,192nd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce ordain?
- US /ɔɹˈdeɪn/
- UK /ɔːˈdeɪn/
Ordain has 2 syllables, split or·dain in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-ordain.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with ordain?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as ordain from its last stressed vowel (/eɪn/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: inroad, donair, radion, draino.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of ordain
- ordains present, singular, he/she/it
- ordaining participle, present
- ordained participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does ordain mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To prearrange unalterably.
- 2
To decree.
- 3
To admit into the ministry, for example as a priest, bishop, minister or Buddhist monk, or to authorize as a rabbi.
- 4
To predestine.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Ordain in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does ordain come from?
From Middle English ordeynen, from Old French ordiner, from Latin ordinare (“to order”), from ordo (“order”). Doublet of ordinate.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).