CANON

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does canon mean? 

• CANON (noun)
  The noun CANON has 6 senses:

1. a rule or especially body of rules or principles generally established as valid and fundamental in a field of art or philosophy

2. a priest who is a member of a cathedral chapter

3. a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall

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

  Familiarity information: CANON used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CANON (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A rule or especially body of rules or principles generally established as valid and fundamental in a field of art or philosophy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

canons of polite society

Hypernyms ("canon" is a kind of...):

prescript; rule (prescribed guide for conduct or action)

Derivation:

canonist (a specialist in canon law)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A priest who is a member of a cathedral chapter

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("canon" is a kind of...):

priest (a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "canon"):

prebendary (a canon who receives a prebend for serving the church)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

canon; canyon

Hypernyms ("canon" is a kind of...):

ravine (a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water))

Meronyms (parts of "canon"):

canyonside (the steeply sloping side of a canyon)

Domain region:

North America (a continent (the third largest) in the western hemisphere connected to South America by the Isthmus of Panama)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A contrapuntal piece of music in which a melody in one part is imitated exactly in other parts

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("canon" is a kind of...):

composition; musical composition; opus; piece; piece of music (a musical work that has been created)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "canon"):

enigma canon; enigmatic canon; enigmatical canon; riddle canon (a canon in which the entrances of successive parts were indicated by cryptic symbols and devices (popular in the 15th and 16th centuries))

Sense 5

Meaning:

A complete list of saints that have been recognized by the Roman Catholic Church

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("canon" is a kind of...):

list; listing (a database containing an ordered array of items (names or topics))

Derivation:

canonise; canonize (declare (a dead person) to be a saint)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("canon" is a kind of...):

sacred scripture; scripture (any writing that is regarded as sacred by a religious group)

Derivation:

canonic; canonical (appearing in a biblical canon)

canonist (a specialist in canon law)

 Context examples 

You impeach my sober judgment and make my canons of little worth.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It was not that there was any vital need that the thing should be well done, but that his artistic canons compelled him to do it well.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)