Etymology

ordinate

O1R1D2I1N1A1T1E1

Today it means: The second of the two terms by which a point is referred to, in a system of fixed rectilinear coordinate (Cartesian coordinate) axes. Full definition →

First used 1508Middle English ordinat(e) ← Latin ōrdinātus
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

The story

  1. Latin · derived fromōrdinātus
  2. Middle English · inherited fromordinat(e)
  3. English todayordinate

Partly inherited from Middle English ordinat(e) (adjective and participle), partly directly borrowed from Latin ōrdinātus, perfect passive participle of ōrdinō, see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3). Doublet of ordain. Sense 5 of the verb is from a back-formation from ordination.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1508 To ordain a priest, or consecrate a bishop.
  • from 1595 To order or regulate; to control, govern, or direct.
  • 1555–1850 To institute, establish; to ordain; to predestine.
  • from 1962 To subject to the mathematical operation of ordination.
  • c. 1425-1649 past participle of ordinate
  • from c. 1395 Observant of order, keeping within set limits; moderate, temperate
  • c. 1398-1668 Conforming to order or rule, ordered, regulated, regular, orderly.
  • from 1826 Arranged regularly in a row or rows.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.