canon

[ kan-uhn ]

/ ˈkæn ən /

Save This Word!

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.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of canon

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English, from Latin, from Greek kanṓn “measuring rod, rule,” akin to kánna “cane”; see origin at cane

synonym study for canon

3-5. See principle.

OTHER WORDS FROM canon

can·on·like, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH canon

cannon, canon

Words nearby canon

canoewood, can of corn, can of worms, canola, canola oil, canon, Canonchet, Canon City, canoness, canonical, canonical age

Other definitions for canon (2 of 2)

canon²

[ kan-uhn ]

/ 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

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English canoun, chano(u)n, chanoine, from Anglo-French canun, Old French chanoine, from Late Latin canōnicus “(one) under the rule” (i.e., a priest as opposed to a lay person), from Latin “according to or under the rule,” from Greek kanōnikós; see canon¹, -ic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT CANON

What does canon mean?

A canon is a group of works that contributes to the advancement of a field of study or to an artistic period. Shakespeare’s plays and poetry are considered a part of the canon of English literature, for example.

Related to that, canon is also agreed-upon or established constraints within a fictional world, such as vampires being harmed by sunlight.

A canon is also a religious rule put in place by someone of authority. In the Roman Catholic Church, for example, rules approved by the pope are considered canon.

The body of all the religious laws is also called a canon.

Example: The official canon of this writer has 30 works, but some people believe that she wrote over 100 in her lifetime.

Where does canon come from?

The first records of the term canon come from before the 900s. It ultimately comes from the Greek kanṓn, meaning “measuring rod, rule.” Often canon can refer to a set of rules or a collection of works that dictate the rules.

In Christian faiths, the canon most often refers to the works agreed to make up the sacred scriptures. In Roman Catholicism, these works are approved by the pope.

In modern literature, canon can describe all works of fiction that are officially said to create a fictional world. For example, most movies, novels, and comics that take place in the Star Wars universe are considered canon. They follow the official timeline and the established constraints of the universe. Works that don’t follow the timeline or rules of the universe are not considered canon, however. Many fans of a fictional universe are particular about whether a work is canon or not.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to canon?

canonical (adjective)
canonlike (adjective)
canonist (noun)

What are some synonyms for canon?

What are some words that share a root or word element with canon?

What are some words that often get used in discussing canon?

What are some words canon may be commonly confused with?

cannon

How is canon used in real life?

Canon is frequently used to discuss rules or laws, but it’s also used frequently to discuss a collection of works in a field.

Santa, Dumbledore, and Gandalf all exist in the same universe. They’re brothers who’ve each chosen very different but equally benevolent paths. This is canon.

— Mark Hoppus (@markhoppus) December 24, 2017

Confirmed: the story of Star Wars Battlefront II will be canon in the Star Wars universe!

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) April 15, 2017

In 367 the Christian canon of Scripture was formally determined by Athanasius. #ChurchHistory

— Brian Zahnd (@BrianZahnd) November 26, 2012

Try using canon!

Is canon used correctly in the following sentence?

The latest Star Wars cartoon is not canon because it changes how Darth Vader dies.

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 Post
Ai 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.
Everything Our Editors Loved in September|The Editors|October 8, 2020|Outside Online
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.
Why Beethoven’s 5th Symphony matters in 2020|Charlie Harding|September 25, 2020|Vox
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|FiveThirtyEight

During 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|DAILY BEAST
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
Dr. Adam Weishaupt, professor of canon law at Ingolstadt, founded the secret society of the illuminati.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
But Canon Drivel's daughter did not deign to answer, she merely rang for prayers.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Mrs. 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 Wills
Brooding over such thoughts as these, Alessandro went up into the canon one morning.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
The 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)

canon¹

/ (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 3)

canon²

/ (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 3)

cañon

/ (ˈkænjən) /

noun

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

canon

Origin of canon

synonym study for canon

OTHER WORDS FROM canon

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH canon

Words nearby canon

Other definitions for canon (2 of 2)

Origin of canon

MORE ABOUT CANON

What does canon mean?

Where does canon come from?

Did you know … ?

How is canon used in real life?

Try using canon!

Words related to canon

How to use canon in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for canon (1 of 3)

Word Origin for canon

British Dictionary definitions for canon (2 of 3)

Word Origin for canon

British Dictionary definitions for canon (3 of 3)