canonize
Americanverb (used with object)
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Ecclesiastical. to place in the canon of saints.
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to glorify.
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to make canonical; place or include within a canon, especially of scriptural works.
They canonized the Song of Solomon after much controversy.
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to consider or treat as sacrosanct or holy.
They canonized his many verbal foibles and made them gospel.
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to sanction or approve authoritatively, especially ecclesiastically.
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Archaic. to deify.
verb
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RC Church to declare (a person) to be a saint and thus admit to the canon of saints
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to regard as holy or as a saint
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to sanction by canon law; pronounce valid
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of canonize
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; canon 1 ( def. ) + -ize ( def. )
Explanation
When you canonize a person, you put him on a pedestal — in other words, you think he's so wonderful that he can do no wrong. You might canonize your grandmother after she dies, choosing to remember her as a saint who never raised her voice and was kind to everyone. When the Roman Catholic Church canonizes someone, it has a slightly different meaning. The Church canonizes people who have performed miracles and are declared — literally — to be saints. The literal meaning is "place in the canon of saints," and it comes from the Latin canon, "church rule."
Vocabulary lists containing canonize
World Religions
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Angela's Ashes
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 14–May 20, 2022
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Memes, livestreams and hashtags now allow anyone to canonize someone they admire.
From Salon • Sep. 27, 2025
“It’s a gift of God that Pope Francis — an Argentine pope, a Jesuit pope — can canonize her,” he said.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 11, 2024
Williams is arguably the best candidate for the Heisman Trophy, but to canonize him in such manner is another story.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2022
Beat by beat, the story crystalizing around her death recalls the efforts by a previous generation of nativists to canonize a 19-year-old apprentice, George Shiffler, shot dead in a street riot on May 6, 1844.
From Slate • Sep. 1, 2021
It must be conceded, however, that those who would canonize John Brown have upon their side a strange and impressive piece of evidence.
From American Adventures A Second Trip 'Abroad at home' by Morgan, Wallace
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
