▪ I. ordinal, a. (n.1)
(ˈɔːdɪnəl)
[ad. late L. ordināl-is denoting order or place in a series (as a number), f. ordo, ordin- order: see -al1. Cf. F. ordinal, used by Oresme, 14th c., but not in Cotgr., nor in common use till 17th c.]
† 1. Conformable to order, rule, or custom; regular, ordinary, orderly. Obs.
| c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 180 Þis suynge stondiþ most in ordynal love of man. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) ii. vi. 115/1 To kepe obedyence and ordynall subgeccion of the subgettes to theyr soueraynes. |
2. Marking position in an order or series; applied to those numbers which refer an object to a certain place in a series of such objects (first, second, third, etc.), as distinguished from the cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc.).
| 1599 Minsheu Sp. Gram. 12 marg., Ordinall Numerals. 1607 Bp. Andrewes Serm. II. 212 ‘Primus’ is an ordinal number. a 1677 Hale Prim. Orig. Man. i. iv. 109 Number..whether Collective, as three, six, nine; or Ordinal, as the second, third, or fourth. 1711 J. Greenwood Eng. Gram. 277 Third is an Adjective, and is call'd an Ordinal Number, as Three is a Cardinal Number. 1892 Sweet Short Hist. Eng. Gram. 126 Most of the ordinal numerals are derivatives of the cardinal ones. |
3. Nat. Hist. Of or pertaining to an order of animals or plants, or to natural order in general.
| 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) II. 1 The ordinal name made choice of is Phlogotica. 1830 Lindley Nat. Syst. Bot. 182 The dehiscence of their capsule; a character which is not now esteemed as of ordinal importance. 1874 Coues Birds N.W. 294 Specific, or generic, or ordinal lines of distinction. |
4. Of or pertaining to holy orders. rare.
| 1842 G. S. Faber Prov. Lett. (1844) I. 240 Such an arrangement evidently supposes the ordinal identity of Bishops and Presbyters. |
5. Relating to, or consisting of, a row or rows.
| 1892 Classical Rev. 460/1 All the pieces move both in an ordinal or straight line..or in a diagonal line. 1897 F. Thompson New Poems 139 Hand in hand in ordinal dances. |
B. n. An ordinal number: see 2.
| 1591 Percivall Sp. Dict. B iij, The ordinals are, which declare the order of place or time. 1674 S. Jeake Arith. (1696) 42 The Denominators are best pronounced by the Ordinals, as halves, thirds..etc. 1862 R. G. Latham Elem. Comp. Philol. ii. iv. 742 The cardinals as compared with the ordinals are certainly abstract, and, as such, ought, at the first view, to be the newer terms. |
Hence ˈordinalism, the quality of being ordinal.
| 1864 Webster cites Latham. |
▪ II. ordinal, n.2
(ˈɔːdɪnəl)
[ad. med.L. ordināle, n. use of neuter of ordinālis adj.: see prec. Cf. F. ordinal (15th c. in Godef.).]
† 1. A book containing rules, or a body of rules or regulations. Obs.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 117 To every Monthe..He hath after his Ordinal Assigned on [signe] in special. 1532 Fortescue's Abs. & Lim. Mon. xv. (1714) 119 (Digby MS.) A Boke..kept..as a Registre or an Ordynal, how they schal do, and be orderyd. 1674 Blount Glossogr. (ed. 4), Ordinal is..sometimes used for a Book, containing the Orders and Constitutions of a Religious House or Colledge. |
2. A book setting forth the order of the services of the Church, or of any one of them, as they existed before the Reformation; a service-book.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 295 He made þe ordynal of þe service of holy chirche, and cleped it þe Consuetudinarius. c 1449 Pecock Repr. 203 As Y haue red in dyuerse oolde Ordinalis of Cathedrall Chirchis and of Monasteries in Ynglond. 1549 Act 3 & 4 Edw. VI, c. 10 §1 All Books called..Couchers, Journals, Ordinals..shall be..abolished. a 1746 Lewis in Gutch Coll. Cur. II. 169 An Ordinal; in which was ordained the manner of saying and solemnizing divine offices. 1846 W. Maskell Mon. Rit. I. p. xliii, Other Churches equally with that of Sarum would have had their Ordinals. |
3. A book prescribing the rules to be observed, and containing the form of service to be used, in the ordination of deacons and priests, and the consecration of bishops.
| 1658 Bramhall Consecr. Bps. 112 Their exceptions..were..either against our English Ordinall, or against the Legality of our Bishops. 1732–8 Neal Hist. Purit. (1822) I. 64 The new Common Prayer-book was brought into the house, with an ordinal or form of ordaining bishops, priests, and deacons. 1876 Prayer-book Interleaved 339 This prayer is in the Roman Ordinal preceded by an exposition of the duties of a priest. |