Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: ordener, from Latin ordinare 'to put in order', from ordo; ORDER1

ordain

 verb
     
Related topics: Religion
or‧dain [transitive]
1RR to officially make someone a priest or religious leader [↪ ordination]:
Desmond Tutu was ordained in 1960.
ordain somebody (as) something
The church voted to allow women to be ordained as priests.
2 formal to order that something should happen
ordain that
The King ordained that deer should not be hunted without a royal licence.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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