ordeal
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ordeal
- /ɔːˈdiːl/ UK
- /ɔɹˈdil/ Canada, US
Rhymes with -iːl
Where it comes from
From Middle English ordel, ordal, from Medieval Latin ordālium or inherited from its source Old English ordēl, ordāl (“ordeal, judgement”), from Proto-West Germanic *uʀdailī (“judgement”, literally “an out-dealing”), from *uʀdailijan (“to deal out; dispense”). For more, see Old English or-, English deal.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Uurdeel (“judgement; verdict”), West Frisian oardiel (“judgement”), Dutch oordeel (“judgement, discretion”), Low German Oordeel (“judgement; verdict”), German Urteil (“judgement, verdict”).
noun ordeals
- A trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test (such as ducking in water), divine authority deciding the guilt of the accused. trial by ordeal
-
A painful or trying experience.
“And do you realize that in a few shakes I've got to show up at dinner and have Mrs Cream being very, very kind to me? It hurts the pride of the Woosters, Jeeves.” “My advice, sir, would be to fortify yourself for the ordeal.” “How?” “There are always cocktails, sir. Should I pour you another?” “You
Similar: calvary, torment, tribulation
- The poisonous ordeal bean or Calabar bean.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: suffering, pain, anguish, agony, scourge, torture, distress, plight, hardship, misery, menace, terrible, testing, adversity, predicament, disaster
Translations
Every language
noun trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test
| Español | prueba del fuego, ordalía |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 試練 shiren |
| 中文 | 神明裁判 shénmíng cáipàn, 神判 shénpàn, 神裁 shéncái |
| Português | ordália |
| Français | ordalie |
| Deutsch | Gottesurteil, Feuerprobe |
| Italiano | ordalia |
| Română | ordalie |
| Русский | суд бо́жий sud bóžij, орда́лии ordálii, орда́лия ordálija |
| العربية | اِمْتِحَان imtiḥān, تَجْرُبَة tajruba |
noun a painful or trying experience
| Español | calvario, suplicio |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 苦杯 kuhai |
| 中文 | 煎熬 jiān'áo, 磨難 /磨难 mónàn |
| Português | calvário, provação, via-crúcis, martírio, tormento |
| Français | épreuve, calvaire |
| Deutsch | Tortur |
| Italiano | calvario, tortura |
| Ελληνικά | δοκιμασία dokimasía, δεινοπάθημα deinopáthima |
| Română | calvar, chin |
| Русский | суро́вое испыта́ние suróvoje ispytánije |
| العربية | مِحْنَة miḥna |
Talk about this word "ordeal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ordeal. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ordeal. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ordeal "ordeal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ordeal.Cite this
@misc{ordeal_2026,
title = {ordeal},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ordeal},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
