canon

I

can•on

[[t]ˈkæn ən[/t]] n.

1) rel an ecclesiastical rule or law enacted by a council or other competent authority and, in the Roman Catholic Church, approved by the pope

2) rel the body of ecclesiastical law

3) a body of rules, principles, or standards accepted as axiomatic and universally binding, esp. in a field of study or art

4) a principle, rule, or standard:

the canons of good behavior[/ex]

5) rel bib the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired

6) rel any officially recognized set of sacred books

7) any comprehensive list of books within a field

8) lit. the works of an author that have been accepted as authentic

9) rel the list of saints acknowledged by the Roman Catholic Church

10) rel the part of the mass between the Sanctus and the communion

11) mad consistent, note-for-note imitation of one melodic line by another, in which the second line starts after the first

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Etymology: bef. 900; ME, OE < L < Gk kanṓn measuring rod, rule II

can•on

[[t]ˈkæn ən[/t]] n.

1) rel a member of the chapter of a cathedral or a collegiate church

2) rel one of the members

(canons regular) of certain Roman Catholic religious orders.

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Etymology: 1150–1200; ME; back formation from OE canōnic (one) under rule < ML canōnicus, L: of or under rule < Gk kanōnikós. See canon I, -ic