Ordinance
noun /ˈɔːr.dɪ.nəns/ — A piece of local legislation; an official order or regulation
Definition
A law or regulation enacted by a local authority — a city, municipality, or governing body — as distinct from national legislation. Also: an authoritative order or decree. The ordinance governs the specific, the local, the particular.
Beyond the definition
Ordinance is law at its most local and daily — the rules about parking, about noise, about what you can build on your property. It's the word for the small machinery of civic governance that shapes ordinary life.
Origin & history
Latin: ordinare (to put in order, to arrange). From ordo (order, rank). An ordinance is literally an ordering — the arrangement of civic behaviour into regulated form.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The city passed an ordinance banning single-use plastics in restaurants.
His business was in violation of three separate ordinances he'd never heard of.
Ordinances shape daily life more than national laws — and most people never read them.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Ordinance” when the meaning fits your context: A law or regulation enacted by a local authority — a city, municipality, or governing body — as distinct from national legislation. Also: an authoritative order or decree. The ordinance governs the specific, the local, the particular.
Synonyms
local law, regulation, bylaw, municipal statute
Antonyms
national law, informal rule
Related words
Ordinance vs statute
An ordinance is a law passed by a municipal government. A statute is a law passed by a state or national legislative body.
Compare this word
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Chatting Comfortably in Local Cafe
An adult sits at a wooden table in a busy, local café, chatting with a friend with relaxed, genuine expressions.
The local café is the specific setting where community life occurs, governed by local norms. An ordinance is this local authority’s regulation, distinct from national law, governing the specific and particular interactions within a specific municipality.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Ordinance" mean?
Ordinance is noun meaning: A piece of local legislation; an official order or regulation. A law or regulation enacted by a local authority — a city, municipality, or governing body — as distinct from national legislation. Also: an authoritative order or decree. The ordinance governs the specific, the local, the particular.
Where does the word "Ordinance" come from?
Latin: ordinare (to put in order, to arrange). From ordo (order, rank). An ordinance is literally an ordering — the arrangement of civic behaviour into regulated form.