order
AW-duh
Order (noun) means the arrangement of things in a particular sequence or pattern. Example: “Please put these files in alphabetical order.”
noun
1
The arrangement of things in a particular sequence or pattern.
"Please put these files in alphabetical order."
"The runners lined up in the order they had finished the previous race."
"The names were listed in order of height, from shortest to tallest."
2
A state of being calm, controlled, and free from disturbance; conformity with rules or law.
"The police were called in to restore order after the protest turned chaotic."
"The teacher kept order in the noisy classroom by speaking quietly and firmly."
"Order returned to the streets once the storm had passed and the crowds went home."
3
An instruction or command given by someone in authority.
"The captain gave the order to abandon ship."
"The manager's order was to lock the doors at six every evening."
"She obeyed the doctor's orders and stayed in bed for three days."
4
A request to buy, sell, or supply goods or services.
"I placed an order for a new laptop online."
"The restaurant took our order within minutes of us sitting down."
"Your order will arrive within three working days of payment."
5
A group of monks, nuns, or knights bound by shared rules and purpose; also, a rank in scientific classification between class and family.
"Cats and dogs belong to different families but the same taxonomic order, Carnivora."
"The monks of that order live quietly and spend their days in prayer."
"Humans, chimpanzees and gorillas all belong to the same order, the primates."
verb
1
To instruct someone to do something, or to request goods or services.
"The general ordered the troops to retreat."
"We ordered pizza for the whole office."
"He ordered a coffee and a sandwich from the counter."
2
To arrange things into a proper sequence.
"She ordered the photographs chronologically before putting them in the album."
"The librarian ordered the books by author before putting them on the shelves."
"Try to order your ideas logically so the essay is easy to follow."
How to use order
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA broad word covering arrangement, instructions, requests for goods, and groups bound by rules — context tells you which meaning applies.
Common pairings
in order
place an order
give an order
restore order
out of order
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Word forms
- Plural
- orders
- Third person singular
- orders
- Past tense
- ordered
- Archaic forms
- orderest, orderedst, ordereth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Please put these files in alphabetical _____.
Etymology
From Old French ordre, from Latin ōrdō, "a row" — originally referring to the row of threads on a loom.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for order
See all rhymes for order →Frequently asked questions
What does “order” mean?
The word “order” means the arrangement of things in a particular sequence or pattern. In plain terms, a broad word covering arrangement, instructions, requests for goods, and groups bound by rules — context tells you which meaning applies.
How do you pronounce “order”?
“Order” is pronounced AW-duh (/ˈoɹ.dɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “order” in a sentence?
Here is “order” used in a sentence: “Please put these files in alphabetical order.”
What is another word for “order”?
Words with a similar meaning to “order” include ordo, association, brotherhood, league, sisterhood and society.
What is the opposite of “order”?
The opposite of “order” — its antonyms — are chaos and disorder.
What part of speech is “order”?
Depending on how it is used, “order” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “order” come from?
The word “order” comes from Latin. From Old French ordre, from Latin ōrdō, "a row" — originally referring to the row of threads on a loom.
Is “order” a common word?
“Order” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between order and sequence?
'Order' is the general way things are arranged or organized, which may follow any logic. 'Sequence' is more specific: it stresses items following one after another in a set succession, like steps or numbers. Every sequence has an order, but not every order forms a strict sequence.
What are the common types of order?
Things can be arranged in alphabetical order, chronological order (by time), numerical order, or by size — ascending from small to large or descending from large to small. Hierarchical order ranks by importance or rank. The right type depends on what you're organizing and why.
What is the opposite of order?
The opposite of order, in the sense of arrangement, is 'disorder,' 'chaos,' or 'randomness' — a lack of any clear pattern or sequence. Where order suggests structure and predictability, disorder means things are jumbled with no logical arrangement, making them harder to find or follow.
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