canon

[ kan-uh n ]

/ ˈkæn ən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR canon ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an 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.

Nearby words

canoe birch, canoe slalom, canoewood, canola, canola oil, canon, canon city, canon law, canonchet, canoness, canonical

Origin of canon

before 900; Middle English, Old English < Latin < Greek kanṓn measuring rod, rule, akin to kánna cane

Related forms

can·on·like, adjective

Synonym study

3–5. See principle.

Definition for canon (2 of 3)

canon

[ kan-uh n ]

/ ˈkæn ən /

noun

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

1150–1200; Middle English; back formation from Old English canōnic (one) under rule < Medieval Latin canōnicus, Latin: of or under rule < Greek kanōnikós. See canon¹, -ic

Definition for canon (3 of 3)

canyon

or ca·ñon

[ kan-yuhn ]

/ ˈkæn yən /

noun

a deep valley with steep sides, often with a stream flowing through it.

Origin of canyon

1835–45, Americanism; < American Spanish, Spanish cañón a long tube, a hollow, equivalent to cañ(a) tube (< Latin canna cane) + -on augmentative suffix

SYNONYMS FOR canyon

gorge, gully, ravine, pass, gap, arroyo, coulee.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR canyon ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for canon

His Canon camera dangled by his side and the feeling of uncertainty over what he could now report punctuated everything he said.
Turkey Arrests Journalists in Crackdown|Jesse Rosenfeld|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
When he gets his hands on a Canon copier, the reader gets a glimpse into the unique fashion in which his mind works.
The Many Lives of Artist David Hockney|William O’Connor|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST

A video game with terrible writing can still be added into the canon of “Best games ever made.”
Gamers Want to Game: Video Games Aren't Blockbuster Movies|Alec Kubas-Meyer|August 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Canon with a smile addressed himself again to Mrs. Railing.
The Bishop's Apron|W. Somerset Maugham
The Canon was shaken by it himself, his voice trembled in the benediction that followed.
The Helpmate|May Sinclair
If men in his position did such things, the Canon would have snorted; as it was, however, he remembered his dignity in time.
People of Position|Stanley Portal Hyatt
Canon Ainger has declared positively that "Conversation might be improved if only people would take pains and have a few lessons."
Conversation|Mary Greer Conklin
It seems to be a canon of French faith that you cannot have too much of a good thing, anyhow in the matter of wedding festivities.
East of Paris|Matilda Betham-Edwards

British Dictionary definitions for canon (1 of 4)

canon

/ (ˈkænən) /

noun

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 partsSee 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

Word Origin for canon

Old English, from Latin, from Greek kanōn rule, rod for measuring, standard; related to kanna reed, cane 1

British Dictionary definitions for canon (2 of 4)

canon

/ (ˈkænən) /

noun

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

Word Origin for canon

C13: from Anglo-French canunie, from Late Latin canonicus one living under a rule, from canon 1

British Dictionary definitions for canon (3 of 4)

cañon

/ (ˈkænjən) /

noun

a variant spelling of canyon

British Dictionary definitions for canon (4 of 4)

canyon

caon

/ (ˈkænjən) /

noun

a gorge or ravine, esp in North America, usually formed by the down-cutting of a river in a dry area where there is insufficient rainfall to erode the sides of the valley

Word Origin for canyon

C19: from Spanish cañón, from caña tube, from Latin canna cane

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

Science definitions for canon

canyon

[ kăn′yən ]

A long, deep, narrow valley with steep cliff walls, cut into the Earth by running water and often having a stream at the bottom.

canon

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of canon

Related forms

Synonym study

Definition for canon (2 of 3)

canon

noun

Origin of canon

Definition for canon (3 of 3)

canyon

or ca·ñon

noun

Origin of canyon

SYNONYMS FOR canyon

Examples from the Web for canon

British Dictionary definitions for canon (1 of 4)

canon

noun

Word Origin for canon

British Dictionary definitions for canon (2 of 4)

canon

noun

Word Origin for canon

British Dictionary definitions for canon (3 of 4)

cañon

noun

British Dictionary definitions for canon (4 of 4)

canyon

caon

noun

Word Origin for canyon

Science definitions for canon

canyon