canon
1 of 3noun (1)
can·on ˈka-nən 
1
a
: a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council
b
: a provision of canon law
2
[Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin, from Latin, model] : the most solemn and unvarying part of the Mass including the consecration of the bread and wine
3
[Middle English, from Late Latin, from Latin, standard]
a
: an authoritative list of books accepted as Holy Scripture
b
: the authentic works of a writer
the Chaucer canon
c
: a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works
the canon of great literature
4
a
: an accepted principle or rule
b
: a criterion or standard of judgment
the canons of good taste
c
: a body of principles, rules, standards, or norms
according to newspaper canon … a big story calls for a lot of copy
A. J. Liebling
A. J. Liebling5
[Late Greek kanōn, from Greek, model] : a contrapuntal musical composition in which each successively entering voice presents the initial theme usually transformed in a strictly consistent way
canon
2 of 3noun (2)
1
: a clergyman belonging to the chapter or the staff of a cathedral or collegiate church
2
: canon regular
cañon
3 of 3noun (3)
ca·ñon
less common spelling of canyon
1
: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it
2
: something resembling a canyon
the city's concrete canyons
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- doctrine
- dogma
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Latin, ruler, rule, model, standard, from Greek kanōn
Noun (2)
Middle English canoun, from Anglo-French *canoun, chanoun, from Late Latin canonicus one living under a rule, from Latin, according to rule, from Greek kanonikos, from kanōn
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (2)
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing canon
Kids Definition
canon
noun
can·on ˈka-nən
1
: a rule or law of a church
2
: an accepted rule
He follows the canons of good taste.
Legal Definition
canon
noun
can·on ˈka-nən
1
a
: a regulation or doctrine decreed by a church council
b
: a provision of canon law
2
a
: an accepted principle or rule
canons of descent
b
: a body of principles, rules, standards, or norms
canons
noun
1
as in doctrines
a statement or body of statements concerning faith or morals proclaimed by a church members of the church must abide by its canons Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- doctrines
- dogmata
- principles
- dogmas
- creeds
- theologies
- tenets
- beliefs
- precepts
- ideologies
- philosophies
- convictions
- axioms
- canon laws
- idealogies
- credos
- symbols
2
as in lists
a record of a series of items (as names or titles) usually arranged according to some system the canon of plays that are attributed to William Shakespeare Synonyms & Similar Words
- lists
- listings
- registers
- rosters
- catalogs
- schedules
- rolls
- chronologies
- registries
- checklists
- directories
- catalogues
- menus
- tables
- bibliographies
- roll calls
- compilations
- compendiums
- indexes
- agendas
- enumerations
- inventories
- compendia
- catalogues raisonnés
- payrolls
- indices
- calendars
- glossaries
- dockets
- timetables
- manifests
3
as in laws
a collection or system of rules of conduct the ABA Model Code of Professional Responsibility is a lawyer's canon Synonyms & Similar Words
- laws
- constitutions
- codes
- decalogues
- disciplines
- legislations
- common law
- establishments
- seed piece
- seed plant
- seed planter
- seed plate
- seed plow
- seed potato
- seed snipe
- seed stitch
- seed stock
- seed tick
- seed treatment
- seed tree
- seed vessel
- seed weevil
- seed-corn beetle
- seed-corn maggot
- seed-plot
- seed/seeds of one's own destruction
- seedage
- seedball
- seedbed
- seedbeds
- seedbird
- seedbox
- seedboxes