can|on

can|on¹ «KAN uhn», noun.

1. the rule by which a thing is judged; standard: »

Her manners are in keeping with the canons of good taste.

SYNONYM(S): criterion.

2. a) the law of a church; body of church law. b) a rule or law enacted by an ecclesiastical council or other competent authority.

3. a) the official list of books of the Bible accepted by the Christian church as genuine and inspired. b) any recognized set of sacred books. c) the accepted complete works of an author.

4. an official list of the saints, as in the Roman Catholic and Greek churches.

5. a group of creative works that comprise the core achievement in a field: »

... one of the few works by a woman in the Latin American literary canon.

6. = Canon. (Cf. ↑Canon)

7. Music. a kind of composition, in the style of a fugue, the different voice parts repeating the same melody one after another in strict imitation either at the same or at a different pitch.

8. a large size of type; 48 point.

╂[Old English canon < Latin < Greek kan rule, (straight) rod]

can|on² «KAN uhn», noun.

1. a clergyman belonging to a cathedral or other church having more than one minister: »

Sir, it is a great thing to dine with the canons of Christ Church (Samuel Johnson).

2. a member of a group of Roman Catholic clergymen living according to a certain rule, especially a canon regular.

╂[< Old French canon < Late Latin canonicus clergyman < Latin, according to rule, canonical < Greek kannikós < kan rule]

Can|on «KAN uhn», noun.

the part of the Mass coming after the offertory and containing the words of the consecration.

╂[< canon¹]