Ordinance Meaning
/ˈɔːdɪnəns/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA local law, passed by e.g. a city.
nounAn edict or decree, authoritative order., Prior to the Third English Civil War, a decree of Parliament.
Sentence Examples
The attempts to overturn the ordinance still need to be passed by Congress.
The new ordinance has been repealed.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The city council passed an ____ banning loud music after 10 PM.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The city council passed an ____ banning the use of single-use plastics in all local businesses.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English ordinaunce (ca. 1300), from Old French ordenance (“decree, command”) (modern French ordonnance), from Medieval Latin ordinantia, from ordinans, the present participle of ordino (“put in order”) (whence ordain). Doublet of ordonnance.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Enactive. Expositive. / Art. 57. XIII 2. The Registrative, or say Recordative: exercised, by the arrangements and operations, by which, in conformity to corresponding ordinances and mandates, the accounts, given at different periods by the exercise of the statistic function, are kept in contiguity, and in a regular series, for the purpose of reference and comparison."
— 1830, Jeremy Bentham, Constitutional code: for the use all nations and all governments ..., volume 1, page 251:
"According to the weatherperson, spring arrived in Hartford, Conn., on Monday, March 20 at 6:34 p.m. But gay people here didn't need a weatherperson to feel the gust of fresh air at a hearing on the proposed gay rights ordinance before the City Council that night at 7:30."
— 1978 April 8, Eric Gordon, “Hartford Hears Testimony on Gay Rights Bill”, in Gay Community News, page 1:
"Alderman Richard Mell then pushed through antipeddling ordinances in the 33rd and 47th wards."
— 1997 May 9, Neal Pollack, “The Pushcart War”, in Chicago Reader:
"Let all the Battlements their Ordinance fire, / The King shal drinke to Hamlets better breath,"
— c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
"[T]he ſayd gunnes beeing able to hurt but a ſmall diſtance off, and the Iaponians being furniſhed with bꝛazen oꝛdinance vnknowen vnto the Corayans, they pꝛeſently dꝛaue them from their walles, […]"
— 1600, Richard Hakluyt, “The Second Testimonie Containing the Huge Leuies and Preparations of Quabacondono, […]”, in The Third and Last Volume of the Voyages, Nauigations, Traffiques, and Discoueries of the English Nation, […], 2nd edition, London: […] George Bishop, Ralfe Newberie, and Robert Barker, →OCLC, page 857:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The city council passed an ____ banning loud music after 10 PM.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The city council passed an ____ banning the use of single-use plastics in all local businesses.