canon
1an ecclesiastical rule or law enacted by a council or other competent authority and, in the Roman Catholic Church, approved by the pope.
the body of ecclesiastical law.
the body of rules, principles, or standards accepted as axiomatic and universally binding in a field of study or art: the neoclassical canon.
a fundamental principle or general rule: the canons of good behavior.
a standard; criterion: the canons of taste.
the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired.
any officially recognized set of sacred books.
any comprehensive list of books within a field.
the works of an author that have been accepted as authentic: There are 37 plays in the Shakespeare canon.: Compare apocrypha (def. 3).
established or agreed-upon constraints governing the background narrative, setting, storyline, characters, etc., in a particular fictional world: It’s accepted as canon that vampires are harmed by sunlight.
a catalog or list, as of the saints acknowledged by the Church.
Liturgy. the part of the Mass between the Sanctus and the Communion.
Eastern Church. a liturgical sequence sung at matins, usually consisting of nine odes arranged in a fixed pattern.
Music. consistent, note-for-note imitation of one melodic line by another, in which the second line starts after the first.
Printing. a 48-point type.
Origin of canon
1synonym study For canon
Other words from canon
- can·on·like, adjective
Words that may be confused with canon
- cannon, canon
Words Nearby canon
Other definitions for canon (2 of 2)
one of a body of dignitaries or prebendaries attached to a cathedral or a collegiate church; a member of the chapter of a cathedral or a collegiate church.
Roman Catholic Church. one of the members (canons regular ) of certain religious orders.
Origin of canon
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use canon in a sentence
Barrett several times told Democrats that her refusal to endorse certain decisions of the court did not mean they were endangered and said such questioners were pushing her to violate judicial canons of ethics and impartiality.
To Democrats’ frustration, GOP predicts clear sailing as Barrett testimony ends | Robert Barnes, Seung Min Kim, Ann Marimow | October 15, 2020 | Washington PostAi and his companion Estraven spend much of the novel trekking across a desolated and dangerous ice sheet, in scenes that would fit in among the best of the outdoor adventure canon.
Commissioning new works, taking them to the streets, reimagining the classical canon, and continuing to perform and listen to the Fifth anew all are part of an effort for classical institutions and audiences to move forward while honoring the past.
Such real-time data is a welcome addition to the slower, monthly or quarterly pace of most official releases that make up the canon of important lagging indicators.
How The Experts Are Measuring The Economic Recovery | Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com) | July 15, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightDuring the late 15th century, canons were mostly of rudimentary make with their antediluvian mechanism allowing for a very slow rate of fire.
14 Exceptional Weapon Systems from History That Were Ahead of their Time | Dattatreya Mandal | March 26, 2020 | Realm of History
An examination of some of the rumors surrounding the newest entry in the Star Wars canon.
Juiciest ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rumors (and Some Debunked Ones) | Rich Goldstein | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHis canon camera dangled by his side and the feeling of uncertainty over what he could now report punctuated everything he said.
The rule is that every time a new writer enters the canon an old one has to get the boot.
The Veteran Who Took Home the National Book Award | Jacob Siegel | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhen he gets his hands on a canon copier, the reader gets a glimpse into the unique fashion in which his mind works.
If you look at said canon, you will notice that most of them are terribly written.
Gamers Want to Game: Video Games Aren't Blockbuster Movies | Alec Kubas-Meyer | August 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTDr. Adam Weishaupt, professor of canon law at Ingolstadt, founded the secret society of the illuminati.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellBut canon Drivel's daughter did not deign to answer, she merely rang for prayers.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsMrs. Dodd opened the book—her father, the canon's, well-known book of Family Prayers.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsBrooding over such thoughts as these, Alessandro went up into the canon one morning.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonThe celebrated Kepler discovered his canon for the periodical motion of the planets.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
British Dictionary definitions for canon (1 of 3)
/ (ˈkænən) /
Christianity a Church decree enacted to regulate morals or religious practices
(often plural) a general rule or standard, as of judgment, morals, etc
(often plural) a principle or accepted criterion applied in a branch of learning or art
RC Church the complete list of the canonized saints
RC Church the prayer in the Mass in which the Host is consecrated
a list of writings, esp sacred writings, officially recognized as genuine
a piece of music in which an extended melody in one part is imitated successively in one or more other parts: See also round (def. 31), catch (def. 33)
a list of the works of an author that are accepted as authentic
(formerly) a size of printer's type equal to 48 point
Origin of canon
1British Dictionary definitions for canon (2 of 3)
/ (ˈkænən) /
one of several priests on the permanent staff of a cathedral, who are responsible for organizing services, maintaining the fabric, etc
Also called: canon regular RC Church a member of either of two religious orders, the Augustinian or Premonstratensian Canons, living communally as monks but performing clerical duties
Origin of canon
2British Dictionary definitions for cañon (3 of 3)
/ (ˈkænjən) /
a variant spelling of canyon
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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