Standard Lemma guide

orderly

adj · adv · noun · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈɔɹdɚli/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɔːdəli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AO1 R D ER0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Neat and tidy; possessing order.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He has always kept an orderly kitchen, with nothing out of place.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Methodical or systematic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We live in an orderly universe, where rules govern both the movements of planets and the binding of molecules.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Peaceful; well-behaved.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • An orderly gathering of citizens stood on the corner awaiting the bus.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Being on duty; keeping order; conveying orders.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adv

Meaning 5

According to good order or practice; appropriately, in a well-behaved or orderly (adjective) way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adv

Meaning 6

In order; in a particular order or succession; with a suitable arrangement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: batman

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective

Meaning 9

devoid of violence or disruption

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an orderly crowd confronted the president

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: disorderly

10

adjective satellite

Meaning 10

clean or organized

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • her neat dress
  • a neat room

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: neat

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

a male hospital attendant who has general duties that do not involve the medical treatment of patients

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hospital attendant

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: attendant, attender, tender

12

noun

Meaning 12

a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the orderly laid out the general's uniform

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: attendant, attender, tender, soldier

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2er-der. Proto-Italic *ordōder. Latin ōrdinem Old French ordneder. Middle English ordre English order Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-West Germanic *-līk Old English -līċ Middle English -ly English -ly English orderly From order + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

93 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: կոկիկ (kokik) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Bulgarian: акуратен (akuraten) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Bulgarian: подреден (podreden) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Cebuano: hapsay — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Danish: ordentlig — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Danish: velordnet — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Dutch: ordelijk — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Finnish: järjestynyt — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • French: ordonné — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • German: ordentlich — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • German: geordnet — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Ancient Greek: κόσμιος (kósmios) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Ancient Greek: εὔτακτος (eútaktos) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Ancient Greek: εὔκοσμος (eúkosmos) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Hindi: क्रमबद्ध (krambaddh) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Hindi: व्यवस्थित (vyavasthit) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Hungarian: rendes — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Hungarian: rendszerető — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Icelandic: skipulegur — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Icelandic: reglulegur — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Italian: ordinato — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Japanese: 整然 (seizen) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Central Kurdish: ڕێکوپێکی (rêkupêkî) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Macedonian: у́реден (úreden) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Russian: опря́тный (oprjátnyj) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Russian: аккура́тный (akkurátnyj) — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Spanish: ordenado — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Swedish: ordentlig — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Thai: มีระเบียบ — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Thai: เป็นระเบียบ — neat; tidy; possessing order
  • Bulgarian: системен (sistemen) — methodical; systematic
  • Bulgarian: методичен (metodičen) — methodical; systematic
  • Cebuano: hapsay — methodical; systematic
  • German: ordentlich — methodical; systematic
  • German: organisiert — methodical; systematic
  • German: systematisch — methodical; systematic
  • Hungarian: rendezett — methodical; systematic
  • Hungarian: szabályos — methodical; systematic
  • Hungarian: szabályszerű — methodical; systematic
  • Italian: metodico — methodical; systematic
  • Italian: sistematico — methodical; systematic
  • Japanese: 整然 (seizen) — methodical; systematic
  • Kyrgyz: тартиптүү (tartiptüü) — methodical; systematic
  • Macedonian: система́тски (sistemátski) — methodical; systematic
  • Macedonian: мето́дичен (metódičen) — methodical; systematic
  • Polish: uporządkowany — methodical; systematic
  • Russian: упоря́доченный (uporjádočennyj) — methodical; systematic
  • Russian: методи́чный (metodíčnyj) — methodical; systematic
  • Spanish: metódico — methodical; systematic
  • Hungarian: békés — peaceful; well-behaved
  • Italian: ordinato — peaceful; well-behaved
  • Macedonian: спо́коен (spókoen) — peaceful; well-behaved
  • Macedonian: ми́рен (míren) — peaceful; well-behaved
  • Russian: споко́йный (spokójnyj) — peaceful; well-behaved
  • Russian: ми́рный (mírnyj) — peaceful; well-behaved
  • Spanish: pacífico — peaceful; well-behaved
  • Czech: sanitář — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Danish: portør — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Finnish: sairaala-apulainen — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • German: Pflegehelfer — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • German: Krankenpfleger — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Hungarian: betegszállító — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Hungarian: beteghordó — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Macedonian: бо́лничар (bólničar) — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Macedonian: болни́чарка (bolníčarka) — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Macedonian: санита́р (sanitár) — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Macedonian: санита́рка (sanitárka) — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Polish: salowy — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Polish: salowa — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Portuguese: servente — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Russian: санита́р (sanitár) — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Russian: санита́рка (sanitárka) — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Spanish: camillero — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Spanish: celador — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Swedish: vårdbiträde — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Swedish: sjukvårdsbiträde — hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties
  • Bulgarian: ординарец (ordinarec) — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Danish: ordonnans — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Danish: oppasser — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Finnish: sotilaspalvelija — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • French: planton — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • German: Ordonnanzsoldat — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • German: Ordonnanz — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Hungarian: tisztiszolga — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Italian: attendente — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Latin: cacula — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Macedonian: орди́нарец (ordínarec) — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Macedonian: ордона́нс (ordonáns) — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Polish: ordynans — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Romanian: ordonanță — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Russian: ордина́рец (ordinárec) — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Russian: вестово́й (vestovój) — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman
  • Russian: денщи́к (denščík) — soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer — see also batman