The word is derived from the classical Latin verb ordiri (not attested in the DMLBS), whose primary meaning is ‘to begin a web, lay the warp’ but which already acquired the more general sense of ‘to begin, commence, set about, undertake’ as well (cf. Lewis and Short ordior 1277b). In Anglo-Norman, the word is relatively rare, and appears only to be attested in texts that are translating a Latin source.