Meaning & use

ordinance

noun·Academic

Last updated

An official rule or law made by a local authority, such as a city or county government.

See it in a sentence

The city passed an ordinance banning plastic bags at grocery stores.

Residents protested the new noise ordinance restricting late-night construction.

A note on using this word

Easy to confuse with 'ordnance,' which means military weapons and equipment; the spellings differ by only one letter.

Words with a similar meaning

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