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

Leech draws the baronet awakened by his servant, but too late: the canonical hour has passed.

From John Leech, His Life and Work. Vol. 1 by Frith, William Powell

From one canonical hour to the next they were there in converse, and making a covenant.

From The Latin & Irish Lives of Ciaran Translations Of Christian Literature. Series V. Lives Of The Celtic Saints by MacAlister, R.A. Stewart

She would not wait for the canonical hour at which young ladies go out, but put on her bonnet directly after breakfast.

From Foul Play by Reade, Charles

Nay, as an Irishman would say, you need not even read this note till the canonical hour is past.

From The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 by Walpole, Horace

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