canon
1Origin of canon
1synonym study for canon
OTHER WORDS FROM canon
can·on·like, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH canon
cannon, canonWords nearby canon
Other definitions for canon (2 of 2)
Origin of canon
2MORE 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.
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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.