noun · 4 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.
UK:ôrdʹnəns
UK:/ˈɔːdnəns/
often, UK:/ˈɔːdɪnəns/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:ôrdʹnəns
US:/ˈoɹdnəns/
US:/ˈoɹdɪnəns/very often
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
homophone: ordinance (some pronunciations)
CMU ARPABET:AO1 R D N AH0 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Military equipment, especially weapons and ammunition.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: collective, countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Artillery.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
large but transportable armament
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: artillery, heavy weapon, gun
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: armament
Narrower terms: cannon, field artillery, field gun, four-pounder
4
noun
Meaning 4
military supplies
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: munition, ordnance store
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: armament
History
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.
Across languages
Translations
43 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
軍械 /军械
(jūnxiè)
— military equipment
Czech:
výzbroj
— military equipment
Finnish:
taisteluväline
— military equipment
Finnish:
sotamateriaali
— military equipment
Finnish:
sotatarvike
— military equipment
German:
Militärmaterial
— military equipment
German:
Kampfmittel
— military equipment
Japanese:
軍用品
(gunyōhin)
— military equipment
Macedonian:
муни́ција
(munícija)
— military equipment
Polish:
uzbrojenie
— military equipment
Russian:
боеприпа́сы
(bojepripásy)
— military equipment
Spanish:
pertrecho
— military equipment
Spanish:
pertrechos
— military equipment
Turkish:
mühimmat
— military equipment
Czech:
výzbroj
— arms and ammunition
Dutch:
geschut
— arms and ammunition
Finnish:
ampumatarvikkeet
— arms and ammunition
French:
munitions
— arms and ammunition
Macedonian:
у́бојни сре́дства
(úbojni srédstva)
— arms and ammunition
Macedonian:
артиле́риски ору́дија
(artilériski orúdija)
— arms and ammunition
Polish:
uzbrojenie
— arms and ammunition
Portuguese:
petrechos
— arms and ammunition
Russian:
артиллери́йские ору́дия
(artilleríjskije orúdija)
— arms and ammunition
