ordain

/ɔɹˈdeɪn/

//ɔɹˈdeɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ordain" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ordain” is uncommon English (frequency #54,367 among 1,431 “O” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,367
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To prearrange unalterably.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ordain · ordain · English

ordain · rank #54,367 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,367
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH oppositional

Nearest frequency peer: oppositional (-2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “ordain”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “ordain” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for ordain
PropertyValue
Headwordordain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɔɹˈdeɪn/
Letters6
Frequency rank#54,367
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “ordain” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).ordainfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “oppositional” (#54,365), “outwit” (#54,369), “odorless” (#54,364). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “ordain” is #54,367. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

ordain is uncommon English at frequency #54,367 among 1,431 “O” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɔɹˈdeɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for ordain in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ordeynen, from Old French ordiner, from Latin ordinare (“to order”), from ordo (“order”). Doublet of ordinate. The correct English form is ordain, spelled O-R-D-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To prearrange unalterably.
  2. 2
    To decree.
  3. 3
    To admit into the ministry, for example as a priest, bishop, minister or Buddhist monk, or to authorize as a rabbi.
  4. 4
    To predestine.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ordain appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. What if the Foot, ordain'd the duſt to tread, / Or Hand, to toil, aſpir'd to be the Head? / What if the Head, the Eye, or Ear repin'd / To ſerve mere Engines to the ruling Mind?
  2. On once more we swung, bumping uneasily along in the antique narrow-gauge coach, with gloomy woods and gathering night outside, shouts and songs (and quacks) inside—this was not at all the sort of train ordained by the logical strategists in Paris—then grinding to a stop at a mysterious halt which was no more than a nameboard in the pinewoods, without eve…

Etymology

From Middle English ordeynen, from Old French ordiner, from Latin ordinare (“to order”), from ordo (“order”). Doublet of ordinate.

Synonyms

foresay

This word in other languages

ordenar(Español)festlegen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ordain"?
"ordain" is spelled O-R-D-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɔɹˈdeɪn/.
What does "ordain" mean?
As a verb, "ordain" means: To prearrange unalterably.
How do you pronounce "ordain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ordain" is /ɔɹˈdeɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ordain"?
From Middle English ordeynen, from Old French ordiner, from Latin ordinare (“to order”), from ordo (“order”). Doublet of ordinate. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ordain", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

outwit#54,369padang#54,373Nettie#54,353pattie#54,381

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list