ordained
C1formal, religious
Definition
Meaning
Officially appointed or decreed, especially within a religious ceremony to grant authority as a minister, priest, or other religious figure.
Established or sanctioned by an authority or higher power; seemingly determined or set in advance by fate or destiny.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in religious contexts as a verb (past participle) but can be used as an adjective in secular contexts to describe something pre-determined or inevitable.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core religious meaning. Secular use ('it was ordained by fate') is slightly more literary and less frequent in AmE. 'Ordnained' (a common misspelling) is equally frequent as a typo in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries strong connotations of religious authority, divine sanction, or formal, ceremonial establishment.
Frequency
More frequent in UK due to state church context, but the difference is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be ordained + as + NOUNbe ordained + by + AGENT (e.g., the bishop, fate)be ordained + to + VERB (purpose)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It was ordained from on high.”
- “A meeting ordained by fate.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Potentially in mission statements: 'Our success was ordained by our commitment to quality.'
Academic
Used in theological, historical, and sociological texts discussing religious institutions and authority.
Everyday
Very low frequency. Occasionally in secular, metaphorical use: 'Their reunion seemed ordained.'
Technical
Technical term in theology and canon law for the sacramental rite of ordination.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She was ordained in Canterbury Cathedral last summer.
- The ceremony ordained him into the priesthood.
American English
- He was ordained at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
- The bishop ordained three new deacons.
adjective
British English
- The newly-ordained vicar gave her first sermon.
- It felt like an ordained moment in history.
American English
- He is an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church.
- Their victory appeared ordained, given their superior skill.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He was ordained as a priest.
- She is an ordained minister.
- After years of study, he was finally ordained in a traditional ceremony.
- The meeting felt oddly ordained, as if it was meant to happen.
- The council ordained that the festival should be held annually.
- By a curious twist of ordained fate, their paths crossed again in Vienna.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of ORDER + GAINED. An ORDAINED minister has GAINED the sacred ORDER (rank/authority).
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS A GIFT (from a higher power); DESTINY IS A WRITTEN SCRIPT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'ordered' (заказал).
- The Russian 'ординарный' (ordinary) is a false friend.
- Avoid using for simple appointments (назначен) in non-religious contexts.
- The secular 'предопределённый' is a close conceptual match for extended meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: 'ordinance' (a law) vs. 'ordination' (the ceremony).
- Using it as a simple synonym for 'decided' (e.g., 'He ordained to go home').
- Confusing adjective and verb form: 'He is an ordain priest' (should be 'ordained').
Practice
Quiz
In a non-religious, literary context, what does 'ordained' most likely mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it's formal and often literary, meaning 'decreed' or 'set by fate' (e.g., 'an ordained meeting of minds').
The main noun is 'ordination' (the ceremony). 'Ordinand' refers to a candidate for ordination.
Predominantly, but the term can apply to the formal installation of religious leaders in other faiths (e.g., rabbis, imams) in English discourse.
'Ordained' focuses on the formal appointment to a religious office. 'Anointed' emphasizes being chosen or blessed by a divine power, often with oil. A leader can be anointed without being ordained (e.g., a king), and vice-versa.