To ordain means to officially declare something or to make it happen through authority or fate.

Most commonly, ordain refers to a religious ceremony where someone becomes a minister, priest, rabbi, or other religious leader. When a person is ordained, they receive the authority to lead religious services, perform marriages, and guide their community. The ceremony recognizes years of study and preparation, formally granting them their new role.

The word also means to decree or establish something officially. A king might ordain a new law, meaning he commands it into existence. A constitution can ordain certain rights for citizens, establishing them as fundamental rules.

In another sense, ordain suggests that fate or a higher power has arranged something. When people say an event was ordained, they mean it seemed destined or meant to happen. A coach might say that the team's championship victory felt ordained, as if everything had aligned perfectly to make it possible.

Notice how ordain carries a sense of seriousness and permanence. You wouldn't use it for casual decisions. Nobody gets ordained as a class monitor, but someone does get ordained as a bishop. The word suggests authority, ceremony, and lasting significance.