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ordnance. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
ordnance, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
ordnance in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
ordnance you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
A reduced form of ordinance, which is attested from the late 14th century in the sense of "military equipment or provisions". The sense of "artillery" arises in the early 15th century, the sense "military logistics" in the late 15th century. The shortened form ordnance arises by the 17th century, now often distinguished in writing from the other meanings of ordinance. Also doublet of ordonnance.
Pronunciation
Noun
ordnance (countable and uncountable, plural ordnances)
- Military equipment, especially weapons and ammunition.
- 1624, John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation XVI., in The Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Donne, ed. Charles M. Coffin, New York: Modern Library (1952), pp. 438-40:
- When the Turkes took Constantinople, they melted the Bells into Ordnance; I have heard both Bells and Ordnance, but never been so much affected with those, as with these Bells.
- Artillery.
Usage notes
- Although prescriptive authorities say this word should now be pronounced with only two syllables, the original pronunciation with three syllables (like ordinance, from which this word derives) remains very common. (Shakespeare used both.)
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