3 syllables: Or, di, nance. Stress on Or.
AWR-duh-nuhns
/ˈɔɹdənəns/
Ordinance is pronounced AWR-duh-nuhns (/ˈɔɹdənəns/). It has three syllables (Or-di-nance), with the stress on "Or". Ordinance (noun) refers to a law or regulation enacted by a governmental body. It can also denote a decree or authoritative order issued by an authority. The term often appears in legal, municipal, or formal policy contexts and contrasts with statutes or acts at the broader legislative level.
nounOrdinance (noun) refers to a law or regulation enacted by a governmental body. It can also denote a decree or authoritative order issued by an authority. The term often appears in legal, municipal, or formal policy contexts and contrasts with statutes or acts at the broader legislative level.
"The city council passed a new noise ordinance to reduce late-night disturbances."
"Citizens challenged the ordinance in court, arguing it infringed on property rights."
"Under the ordinance, street vendors must obtain a permit to operate legally."
Ordinance is stressed on the first syllable: /ˈɔːr.dɪ.nəns/ (US) or /ˈɔː.dɪ.nəns/ (UK). Break it into four sounds: OR-din-ance; start with the open back rounded vowel /ɔː/ as in 'thought', then /r/ with a light tap, followed by the schwa-like /ɪ/ or /ɪ/ in the second syllable, ending with /nəns/ where the final /ns/ is crisp. Be mindful of the subtle vowel reduction in rapid speech; enunciate the -nance ending clearly to avoid conflating it with 'order' or 'ordain'. You’ll hear it most clearly in careful speech or when it’s emphasized in legal contexts.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying /ˈɔːr.dɪˌnæns/), or turning the second syllable into a full stressed 'din' (/ˈɔːr.dɪˈneɪns/). Another frequent slip is blending the final -ance too loosely, producing /ˈɔːr.dɪnns/ or /ˈɔːrdɪnəns/ without the crisp /ən/ preceding the /ns/. Correction tips: keep the second syllable short with /dɪ/ and clearly articulate the final /ən(t)s/. Practice slow, then add speed while maintaining the /nəns/ sequence.
US tends to have /ˈɔːr.dɪ.nəns/ with rhotic /r/ and a higher first vowel; UK often uses /ˈɔː.dɪ.nəns/ with a slightly clipped second syllable; Australian blends may present /ˈɔː.dɪ.nəns/ with a less rhotic r and a broader vowel in the first syllable. The main differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality, plus consonant linking in connected speech. In careful speech, you can hear the four-syllable rhythm distinctly in all three varieties.
The challenge is coordinating the /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ vowel with the /r/ (US) or the absence of rhoticity (UK/AU) and the quick transition to /d/ plus the -nance ending. The final /ns/ cluster can blur in fast speech, making it sound like /ˈɔːr.dɪnəns/ or /ˈɔː.dɪn.əns/ with a weaker /n/ before the /s/. Focusing on crisp syllabic boundaries helps—keep /dɪ/ as a short, precise nucleus and articulate the /n/ before /s/.
A distinctive feature is the unstressed, light middle vowel in the second syllable (/ɪ/ or /ɪə/ depending on speaker) and the final syllable /nəns/. Some speakers may reduce it to /ˈɔː.dən(t)s/ if the final syllable is weak, which changes the word’s cadence. Aim for a clear /ən/ before the final /s/ to preserve the formal, codified sense of the term.
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Ordinance comes from the Old French word ordinance, itself derived from Late Latin ordinantia, from ordinare meaning to arrange, set in order, or appoint. The root ordin- conveys order and prescription. In English, ordinance initially signified a rule or decree established by authority, especially in a jurisdiction or church context. By the medieval period, ordinances were formal legal instruments issued by municipal or ecclesiastical authorities. In modern legal English, ordinance is commonly used to designate local statutory rules—such as city ordinances—distinguished from broader statutes enacted by national or regional governments. The semantic arc thus tracks from “order,” through “arrangement by authority,” to a binding rule or regulation enforceable within a defined territory. The first known uses appear in Middle English texts referencing ecclesiastical or municipal decrees, with documented usage intensifying in the 14th–16th centuries as urban governance expanded and local legislatures codified rules for daily life and safety. Over time, the term broadened to include any formal order issued by an authority, not just religious or municipal edicts, while retaining its legalistic aura in contemporary contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Ordinance"
-nce sounds
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