Webster's English Dictionary

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canon

Cross references:
  1. law                   
 
1. can.on \'kan-*n\ n [ME, fr. OE, fr. LL, fr. L, ruler, rule, model, 
   standard, fr. Gk kano-n [ME, prob. fr. OF, fr. LL, fr. L, model] [ME, fr. 
   LL, fr. L, standard] [LGk kano-n, fr. Gk, model]X; akin to Gk kanna reed - 
   more at CANE 1a: a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council  1b: a 
   provision of canon law  2: the most solemn and unvarying part of the Mass 
   including the act of cons ecration 3a: an authoritative list of books 
   accepted as Holy Scripture  3b: the authentic works of a writer  4a: an 
   accepted principle or rule  4b: a criterion or standard of judgment  4c: a 
   body of principles, rules, standards, or norms  5: a contrapuntal musical 
   composition in two or more voice parts in which t he melody is imitated 
   exactly and completely by the successive voices
2. canon n [ME canoun, fr. AF canunie, fr. LL canonicus one living under] a 
   rule, fr. L according to rule, fr. Gk kanonikos, fr. kano-n 1: one of the 
   clergy of a medieval cathedral or large church living in comm unity under a 
   rule 2: a clergyman belonging to the chapter or the staff of a cathedral or 
   coll egiate church 3: CANON REGULAR 
3. ca.non \'kan-y*n\  var of CANYON