Ordinal
/ˈɔːr.dɪ.nəl/noun
Relating to position in a series or order, or a number that indicates position rather than quantity.
Did you know?Ordinal comes from Latin ordō, meaning “row, rank, order,” the same root behind words for arranging, commanding, and disciplined structure in Roman life.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃erdʰ-
“To arrange, put in order”
Latin
Latin
ordo
“A row, rank, or ordered arrangement”
Late Latin
Latin
ordinalis
“Of order; pertaining to sequence or rank”
Middle English
English
ordinal
“Pertaining to order or sequence”
Modern English
English
ordinal
“Relating to position in a series; a number indicating rank rather than amount”
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