canon

English

/ˈkæn.ən/

noun
Definitions
  • A generally accepted principle; a rule.
  • A group of literary works that are generally accepted as representing a field.
  • The works of a writer that have been accepted as authentic.
  • A eucharistic prayer, particularly the Roman Canon.
  • A religious law or body of law decreed by the church.
  • A catalogue of saints acknowledged and canonized in the Roman Catholic Church.
  • In monasteries, a book containing the rules of a religious order.
  • A member of a cathedral chapter; one who possesses a prebend in a cathedral or collegiate church.
  • A piece of music in which the same melody is played by different voices, but beginning at different times; a round.
  • (Roman law) A rent or stipend payable at some regular time, generally annual, e.g., canon frumentarius
  • (fandom) Those sources, especially including literary works, which are considered part of the main continuity regarding a given fictional universe.
  • (cookery) A rolled and filleted loin of meat; also called cannon.
  • (printing) A large size of type formerly used for printing the church canons, standardized as 48-point.
  • The part of a bell by which it is suspended; the ear or shank of a bell.
  • (billiards) A carom.

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French canon derived from Latin canōn (canon, rule, authorized catalogue, precept, measuring line) derived from Ancient Greek κανών (standard, measuring rod).

Origin

Ancient Greek

κανών

Gloss

standard, measuring rod

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms