ordain

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To officially make someone a priest, minister, or other religious leader

   He was ordained as a priest last spring.

2. 2
   verb

   To order or decide something officially, by law or authority

   The new constitution ordained that elections be held every four years.

3. 3
   verb

   To decide or fix someone's fate in advance, as if by destiny

   It seemed that the two of them were ordained to meet.

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

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