canon

== English == === Etymology 1 === From Middle English canoun, from Old French canon and Old English canon, both from Latin canōn, from Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn, “measuring rod, standard”), akin to κάννα (kánna, “reed”), from Semitic (compare Hebrew קָנֶה (qane, “reed”) and Arabic قَنَاة (qanāh, “reed”)). Doublet of qanun. See also cane, cannon, canyon, canal. ==== Pronunciation ==== enPR: kăn'ən, IPA(key): /ˈkæn.ən/ Rhymes: -ænən Homophone: cannon ==== Noun ==== canon (countable and uncountable, plural canons) A generally accepted principle; a rule. A formally codified set of criteria deemed mandatory for a particular artistic style of figurative art. 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 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 (chiefly fandom slang, uncountable) The officially recognized continuity, events, characters, relationships, etc. of a work of fiction. Coordinate term: lore (cooking) Alternative form of cannon (“rolled and filleted loin of meat”). (printing, dated, uncountable) 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. ===== Synonyms ===== (48-point type): French canon ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English canoun, ultimately from Latin canonicus (either by shortening or back-formation from Old English canonic, or via Old Northern French canoine). ==== Noun ==== canon (plural canons) A type of clergymember serving a cathedral or collegiate church. Coordinate terms: abbé, deacon; curate; priest, reverend, pastor, rector, vicar A canon regular, a member of any of several Roman Catholic religious orders. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === ==== Adjective ==== canon (comparative more canon, superlative most canon) (fandom slang) Clipping of canonical. Antonym: non-canon === Etymology 4 === ==== Noun ==== canon (plural canons) Alternative spelling of qanun. === Etymology 5 === ==== Noun ==== canon (plural canons) (obsolete, now a misspelling) Alternative spelling of cannon (“weapon”). Alternative spelling of cannon (“a carom in billiards”). === Etymology 6 === From Spanish cañón, spelling it without the diacritics. ==== Noun ==== canon (plural canons) Obsolete spelling of canyon. 1995, Michael A. Bogan, A Biological Survey of Fort Niobrara and Valentine National ..., page 13, quoting writings by a Bailey in 1890: "Clarks Canon, […] very sandy, hilly, deep canons (or ravines), river valleys, and no trees or brush […] " ==== References ==== James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Canon”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC. === Further reading === Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “canon”, in Online Etymology Dictionary. “canon”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. === Anagrams === Ancon, Conan, ancon == Dutch == === Etymology === From Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn, “measuring rod, standard”), akin to κάννα (kánna, “reed”), perhaps from Semitic (compare Hebrew קנה (qaneh, “reed”)). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈkaː.nɔn/ Hyphenation: ca‧non === Noun === canon m (plural canons, diminutive canonnetje n) canon (set of representative or pre-eminent literary works) (chiefly Christianity) canon (set of authoritative religious books, especially those constituting the Bible) (Christianity) canon (religious law) (music) canon (round, music piece consisting of the same melody sung by different voices) (Roman Catholicism) canon (part of a mass following the Sanctus up to the end of the Pater Noster, consisting mostly of prayers) (dated) canon (principle, rule) ==== Derived terms ==== canoniek canoniseren == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ka.nɔ̃/ === Etymology 1 === Inherited from Old French canon, corresponding to Italian cannone (from which borrowed most of the weaponry senses). ==== Noun ==== canon m (plural canons) cannon, (big) gun barrel (of firearm) cannon for a horse ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 2 === Inherited from Old French canon, borrowed from Latin canōn, from Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn, “measuring rod, standard”). The 'attractive person' sense comes from an ellipsis of canon de beauté. ==== Noun ==== canon m (plural canons) canon (music) canon (religion) canon (slang) hottie, dish, bombshell (attractive man/woman) Synonyms: bombe, avion de chasse ===== Derived terms ===== canon à neige canon de beauté ===== Descendants ===== → Turkish: kanon === Etymology 3 === From the above noun (see sense 4) by conversion. ==== Adjective ==== canon (plural canons) (informal, of a person) hot, sexy Cette nouvelle coupe de cheveux te va trop bien, t'es canon! ― This new hair really suits you, you're hot! === Etymology 4 === From canne +‎ -on. ==== Noun ==== canon m (plural canons) (slang) glass of wine === Further reading === “canon”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Galician == === Alternative forms === cânon, cânone (reintegrationist) === Pronunciation === === Noun === canon m (plural canons) canon (principle, literary works, prayer, religious law, music piece) === References === “canon”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026 == Latin == === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈka.noːn] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈkaː.non] === Etymology 1 === Borrowed from Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn, “measuring rod, standard”), akin to κάννα (kánna, “reed”), perhaps from Semitic (compare Hebrew קנה (qaneh, “reed”)). ==== Noun ==== canōn m (genitive canonis); third declension a measuring line (figuratively) precept, rule, canon a yearly tribute paid to the emperor; (Medieval Latin, by extension) a periodic payment (Ecclesiastical Latin) authorized catalog, especially of books of the Bible or of the saints (Ecclesiastical Latin) decree of a church synod (Ecclesiastical Latin) the Canon of the Mass (Medieval Latin) relic ===== Declension ===== Third-declension noun. ===== Synonyms ===== (precept, rule): nōrma, praeceptum, rēgula ===== Derived terms ===== canōnizō canōnismata ===== Descendants ===== Italian: canone Sicilian: cànuni → Catalan: cànon → German: Kanon → Japanese: カノン → Dutch: canon → Old French: canon (see there for further descendants) → Portuguese: cânone → Russian: канон (kanon) → Spanish: canon === Etymology 2 === From canna (“pipe”), compare Italian cannone and Old French canon. ==== Noun ==== canōn m (genitive canōnis); third declension (Medieval Latin) a cannon (artillery) === References === “canon”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press "canon", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887) “canon”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette. “canon”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers “canon”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin Niermeyer, Jan Frederik (1976), “canon”, in Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden, Boston: E. J. Brill == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === From Middle French canon, from Italian cannone, from Latin canna, from Ancient Greek κάννα (kánna, “reed”), from Akkadian 𒄀 (qanû, “reed”), from Sumerian 𒄀𒈾 (gi.na). ==== Alternative forms ==== kanon ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /kaˈnoːn/ ==== Noun ==== canon (plural canones) (Late Middle English) cannon ===== Descendants ===== English: cannon → Welsh: canon ===== References ===== “canọ̄n, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== canon alternative form of canoun (“authoritative rules”) === Etymology 3 === ==== Noun ==== canon alternative form of canoun (“clergy member”) == Norman == === Etymology === From Old French canon. === Noun === canon m (plural canons) cannon == Old French == === Etymology 1 === From cane (“reed, cane, tube”) +‎ -on, corresponding to Italian cannone (from which borrowed the weaponry sense). ==== Noun ==== canon oblique singular, m (oblique plural canons, nominative singular canons, nominative plural canon) tube (weaponry) cannon ===== Descendants ===== === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from Latin canōn, from Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn, “measuring rod, standard”). ==== Noun ==== canon oblique singular, m (oblique plural canons, nominative singular canons, nominative plural canon) canon ===== Descendants ===== == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic канонъ (kanonŭ), from Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn). === Noun === canon n (plural canoane) canon (usually in regards to religion) tenet, dogma, rule, norm, precept punishment or penance for breaking such a religious rule ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== canoni ==== Related terms ==== canonic canoniza == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin canōn, from Ancient Greek κανών (kanṓn, “measuring rod, standard”) (compare κάννα (kánna, “reed”)), perhaps of Semitic origin. The fiction sense is borrowed from English canon. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈkanon/ [ˈka.nõn] Rhymes: -anon Syllabification: ca‧non === Noun === canon m (plural cánones) canon (principle, literary works, prayer, religious law, music piece) Synonyms: norma, precepto, regla tax, fee (Internet slang, fandom slang) canon (in fiction) ==== Related terms ==== === Adjective === canon (invariable) (Internet slang, fandom slang) canon (in fiction) ==== Derived terms ==== === References === === Further reading === “canon”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 == Welsh == === Alternative forms === (verb form): canasom (literary, first-person plural) (verb form): canasant (literary, third-person plural) (artillery): canan === Pronunciation === (North Wales) IPA(key): /ˈkanɔn/ (South Wales) IPA(key): /ˈkaːnɔn/, /ˈkanɔn/ === Etymology 1 === From English canon ==== Noun ==== canon f (plural cannonau) canon (ecclesiastical degree) ==== Noun ==== canon m (plural canoniaid or canons) canon (clerical) === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from English cannon ==== Noun ==== canon m (plural canonau) cannon ===== Derived terms ===== pelen canon f (“cannonball”) === Etymology 3 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== canon first/third-person plural preterite colloquial of canu === Mutation === === Further reading === R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “canon”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies