ordinal
1[ awr-dn-uh l ]
/ ˈɔr dn əl /
adjective
of or relating to an order, as of animals or plants.
of or relating to order, rank, or position in a series.
noun
an ordinal number or numeral.
RELATED CONTENT
Why Does September Come From The Word “Seven”?For many, the month of September signals the end of summer, the beginning of autumn, and the start of a new school year. With respect to the calendar, September marks the beginning of the months that signify nothing other than their numerical position in the year. September comes from the Latin root septem-, meaning “seven,” because in the original Roman republican calendar September was the …
How To Use Common Punctuation MarksA discussion of each mark follows, in alphabetical order by name of mark. Also includes how to divide words; use of numerals/numbers; possessives; and common errors in punctuation. Apostrophe (‘) is used to indicate possession, contractions, and plurals. Possession: The possessive form of singular nouns ends in ‘s, including nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh. For example: a dog’s life, a lass’s smile. The apostrophe …
Nearby words
Origin of ordinal
1Related formsor·di·nal·ly, adverb
Definition for ordinal (2 of 2)
ordinal
2[ awr-dn-uh l ]
/ ˈɔr dn əl /
noun
a directory of ecclesiastical services.
a book containing the forms for the ordination of priests, consecration of bishops, etc.
Origin of ordinal
21350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin ōrdināle, noun use of neuter of ōrdinālis in order. See ordinal1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for ordinal
British Dictionary definitions for ordinal
ordinal
/ (ˈɔːdɪnəl) /
adjective
denoting a certain position in a sequence of numbers
of, relating to, or characteristic of an order in biological classification
noun
short for ordinal number
a book containing the forms of services for the ordination of ministers
RC Church a service book
Word Origin for ordinal
C14: (in the sense: orderly): from Late Latin ordinalis denoting order or place in a series, from Latin ordō order
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012