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'Ordinance' is a local law or municipal regulation; 'ordnance' refers to military weapons, ammunition, and artillery.
Side-by-side comparison
"Ordinance" is a local rule or decree: a municipal law or regulation approved by a local authority.
The city passed an ordinance banning the use of single-use plastic bags at retail stores.
Local ordinances require noise levels to fall below 65 decibels after 10 p.m.
Violating the parking ordinance results in a fine of up to two hundred dollars.
"Ordnance" refers to weapons, ammunition, and military equipment. These words sound almost identical but mean completely different things.
The army's ordnance team was called in to safely dispose of the unexploded shells.
Significant quantities of unexploded ordnance from World War II are still found in Europe today.
The ordnance depot was secured against unauthorised access with multiple layers of physical protection.
Common mistake
- •"The municipality passed new ordnance" when meaning regulation is wrong (correct: ordinance, with I).
- •"Ordnance" without I refers to military weapons and ammunition.
Trick to remember it
- •"OrdInance" has an I like "cIvIl law", the regulation has an extra letter because it is a written rule.
- •"Ordnance" drops the I: military equipment is stripped down to essentials.
Quick rule
- •Is it a local law or regulation? "OrdInance" (with I).
- •Is it military weapons or ammunition? "Ordnance" (no I).
Did you know?
Its maps are considered among the most precise in the world. "Unexploded ordnance" (UXO) remains a genuine public safety issue across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, where 20th-century conflicts left millions of explosive devices underground. Belgium, for example, recovers thousands of pieces of World War I artillery each year in what is known as the "Iron Harvest", farmers regularly plow up shells that have been underground for over a century.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The city passed a new _____ making it illegal to park on that street after 6pm.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The army had to clear the area before entering because there was unexploded _____ from the war.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy