ordinantia

Forms

ōrdinantia f (genitive ōrdinantiae); first declension^[1] Also spelled ordinancia.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin ōrdinō (“to arrange, order”), formed on its present participle ōrdināns.^[1][2] Du Cange equates it with ōrdināmentum and French ordonnance.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler, after Latham, dates the sense “decree, ordinance” to about 1367.^[1]

Semantic evolution

In British Medieval Latin it meant an ordering or disposition, above all the divine order or providence, as in Wyclif; then an order or command; and ordnance, the supplies and guns of an army.^[4] Du Cange has it for the regulations in the palace laws of James II of Majorca and, like French ordonnance, for a company of soldiers.^[3] Polish records use it for a battle array and for supervision or care.^[2]

In Neo-Latin, Vadian uses it for the allowance with which parishes supported their poor, and Amama for the salaries of professors.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 1367 – It is recorded in the sense “decree, ordinance”.^[1]
• 1518 – A Polish source uses it for an army's battle array.^[2]
• 1521 – A Polish university record uses it for supervision of a student house.^[2]
• 1591 – An English record uses it for an order or regulation.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) Disposition, ordering, especially divine order, providence.^[4]
2. (Medieval Latin) An order, decree, ordinance.^[4][1][3]
3. (Medieval Latin, military) Ordnance, military supplies.^[4]
4. (Medieval Latin) A company of soldiers.^[3]
5. (Medieval Latin) Battle array.^[2]
6. (Medieval Latin) Supervision, care.^[2]
7. (New Latin) An allowance or salary.^[5]

Related words

• English ordinance
• English ordnance

References

1. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c d e f g Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
3. ^ a b c d du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
4. ^ a b c d e Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de