canonical hour

American  

noun

1. Ecclesiastical. any of certain periods of the day set apart for prayer and devotion: these are matins and lauds, prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline.

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canonical hour British  

noun

1. RC Church

   1. one of the seven prayer times appointed for each day by canon law

   2. the services prescribed for these times, namely matins, prime, terce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline

2. Church of England any time between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at which marriages may lawfully be celebrated

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Etymology

Origin of canonical hour

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

To sing the requiems Is thine by special right, To each canonical hour, In which the bells are rung.

From The Irish Ecclesiastical Record, Volume 1, December 1864 by Various

The Abbey court sat in the chapter-house at the canonical hour of tierce, which was nine in the forenoon.

From Sir Nigel by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir

If the recital of the office for any canonical hour be interrupted, should the whole hour be repeated?

From The Divine Office by Quigley, Edward J.

Prime is properly the first canonical hour of prayer, or 6 a.m.

From The Lady of the Lake by Scott, Walter, Sir

Between ourselves, she has kissed away "half-past twelve," which I suppose to be the canonical hour in Hanover Square.

From The Best Letters of Charles Lamb by Lamb, Charles