ordre

noun

or·​dre ˈȯr-drə How to pronounce ordre (audio)
plural ordres
: a set or suite of short pieces for harpsichord or ensemble in 18th-century France
An ordre often began with several pieces in the style of an allemande, courante and sarabande, but mostly contained descriptive pieces with fanciful titles.John Gillespie, Five Centuries of Keyboard Music, 1965

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ordre was in 1883

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near ordre

Cite this Entry

“Ordre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordre. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!