Is « ordonnance » masculine or feminine?

« ordonnance » works as both masculine and feminine. You will see un ordonnance and une ordonnance, with the article carrying the meaning or agreeing with the person described.

Article forms

With the definite article l'ordonnance
With the indefinite article un ordonnance / une ordonnance
With the partitive article de l'ordonnance

Plural

The plural is ordonnances (les ordonnances). A noun keeps its gender in the plural; only the article stops showing it.

Why the gender

ordonnance ends in -ance. Nouns ending in -ance are usually feminine, though ordonnance works as either gender. The full rules by ending cover every common suffix.

Related words

Other common nouns that end the same way:

Common questions

Is « ordonnance » masculine or feminine?

« ordonnance » works as both. You will see un ordonnance and une ordonnance, with the article carrying the meaning or agreeing with the person being described.

Is it « un ordonnance » or « une ordonnance »?

Both are correct. Use the masculine or the feminine depending on the sense or the person.


Check another word, or read the complete guide to French noun gender.