canon

noun
UK: /ˈkænən/
US: /ˈkænən/

  1. A set of rules or principles that are accepted as a guide.

    1. The director broke all the canon of filmmaking.
    2. The artist's work is now part of the accepted canon of Western art.

  2. A list of literary works considered genuine and important.

    1. Shakespeare is central to the literary canon.
    2. The professor expanded the canon to include more female writers.

  3. In religion, it's a set of books accepted as holy scripture.

    1. These texts are part of the biblical canon.
    2. The apocryphal books are not considered part of the canon.

Synonyms

principle rule standard law decree tenet doctrine collection
canon verb

  1. To declare a deceased person a saint.

    1. The church will canonize the late bishop.
    2. They are considering canonizing her for her charitable work.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "canon" in English means: A set of rules or principles that are accepted as a guide., A list of literary works considered genuine and important., In religion, it's a set of books accepted as holy scripture..

The phonetic transcription of "canon" is /ˈkænən/ in British English and /ˈkænən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "canon": principle, rule, standard, law, decree, tenet, doctrine, collection.

Example usage of "canon": "The director broke all the canon of filmmaking.". More examples on the page.