ordinance

/ˈɔːdɪnəns/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: ordinances

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A local law, passed by e.g. a city.

NounRegister: US

Examples

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,

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

An edict or decree, authoritative order. — Prior to the Third English Civil War, a decree of Parliament.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “ordinance” mean?

A local law, passed by e.g. a city.

Is “ordinance” formal or informal?

ordinance is generally US.