canon

Noun
Synonyms: canyon

WordNet 3.0

Noun (6)

  1. a rule or especially body of rules or principles generally established as valid and fundamental in a field or art or philosophy“the neoclassical canon”“canons of polite society”
  2. a priest who is a member of a cathedral chapter
  3. a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfallSynonyms: canyon
  4. a contrapuntal piece of music in which a melody in one part is imitated exactly in other parts
  5. a complete list of saints that have been recognized by the Roman Catholic Church
  6. a collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Canon \Ca*[~n]on"\ (k[aum]*ny[-o]n"; anglicized k[a^]n"y[u^]n), n. [Sp., a tube or hollow, fr. ca[~n]a reed, fr. L. canna. See Cane.] A deep gorge, ravine, or gulch, between high and steep banks, worn by water courses. [Mexico & Western U. S.] [Also spelled canyon.] [1913 Webster +PJC]
canon \can"on\ (k[a^]n"[u^]n), n. [OE. canon, canoun, AS. canon rule (cf. F. canon, LL. canon, and, for sense 7, F. chanoine, LL. canonicus), fr. L. canon a measuring line, rule, model, fr. Gr. kanw`n rule, rod, fr. ka`nh, ka`nnh, reed. See Cane, and cf. Canonical.]

1.A law or rule. [1913 Webster]

Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His canon 'gainst self-slaughter.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.(Eccl.) A law, or rule of doctrine or discipline, enacted by a council and confirmed by the pope or the sovereign; a decision, regulation, code, or constitution made by ecclesiastical authority. [1913 Webster]

Various canons which were made in councils held in the second centry.— Hook.[1913 Webster]

3.The collection of books received as genuine Holy Scriptures, called the sacred canon, or general rule of moral and religious duty, given by inspiration; the Bible; also, any one of the canonical Scriptures. See Canonical books, under Canonical, a. [1913 Webster]

4.In monasteries, a book containing the rules of a religious order. [1913 Webster]

5.A catalogue of saints acknowledged and canonized in the Roman Catholic Church. [1913 Webster]

6.A member of a cathedral chapter; a person who possesses a prebend in a cathedral or collegiate church. [1913 Webster]

7.(Mus.) A musical composition in which the voices begin one after another, at regular intervals, successively taking up the same subject. It either winds up with a coda (tailpiece), or, as each voice finishes, commences anew, thus forming a perpetual fugue or round. It is the strictest form of imitation. See Imitation. [1913 Webster]

8.(Print.) The largest size of type having a specific name; -- so called from having been used for printing the canons of the church. [1913 Webster]

9.The part of a bell by which it is suspended; -- called also ear and shank.

Note: [See Illust. of Bell.] --Knight. [1913 Webster]

10.(Billiards) See Carom. [1913 Webster]

Apostolical canons. See under Apostolical.

Augustinian canons, Black canons. See under Augustinian.

Canon capitular, Canon residentiary, a resident member of a cathedral chapter (during a part or the whole of the year).

Canon law. See under Law.

Canon of the Mass (R. C. Ch.), that part of the mass, following the Sanctus, which never changes.

Honorary canon, a canon[6] who neither lived in a monastery, nor kept the canonical hours.

Minor canon (Ch. of Eng.), one who has been admitted to a chapter, but has not yet received a prebend.

Regular canon (R. C. Ch.), one who lived in a conventual community and followed the rule of St. Austin; a Black canon.

Secular canon (R. C. Ch.), one who did not live in a monastery, but kept the hours. [1913 Webster]

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