The Collaborative International Dictionary
canonic \ca*non"ic\ (k[.a]*n[o^]n"[i^]k), canonical \ca*non"ic*al\ (k[.a]*n[o^]n"[i^]*kal), a. [L. canonicus, LL. canonicalis, fr. L. canon: cf. F. canonique. See canon.] Of or pertaining to a canon; established by, or according to, a canon or canons. ``The oath of canonical obedience.'' --Hallam. 2. Appearing in a Biblical canon; as, a canonical book of the Christian New Testament. 3. Accepted as authoritative; recognized. 4. (Math.) In its standard form, usually also the simplest form; -- of an equation or coordinate. 5. (Linguistics) Reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible without loss of generality; as, a canonical syllable pattern. Opposite of nonstandard. Syn: standard. [WordNet
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6. Pertaining to or resembling a musical canon.
Canonical books, or Canonical Scriptures, those books which are declared by the canons of the church to be of divine inspiration; -- called collectively the canon. The Roman Catholic Church holds as canonical several books which Protestants reject as apocryphal.
Canonical epistles, an appellation given to the epistles called also general or catholic. See Catholic epistles, under Canholic.
Canonical form (Math.), the simples or most symmetrical form to which all functions of the same class can be reduced without lose of generality.
Canonical hours, certain stated times of the day, fixed by ecclesiastical laws, and appropriated to the offices of prayer and devotion; also, certain portions of the Breviary, to be used at stated hours of the day. In England, this name is also given to the hours from 8 a. m. to 3 p. m. (formerly 8 a. m. to 12 m.) before and after which marriage can not be legally performed in any parish church.
Canonical letters, letters of several kinds, formerly given by a bishop to traveling clergymen or laymen, to show that they were entitled to receive the communion, and to distinguish them from heretics.
Canonical life, the method or rule of living prescribed by the ancient clergy who lived in community; a course of living prescribed for the clergy, less rigid than the monastic, and more restrained that the secular.
Canonical obedience, submission to the canons of a church, especially the submission of the inferior clergy to their bishops, and of other religious orders to their superiors.
Canonical punishments, such as the church may inflict, as excommunication, degradation, penance, etc.
Canonical sins (Anc. Church.), those for which capital punishment or public penance decreed by the canon was inflicted, as idolatry, murder, adultery, heresy.
Wikipedia
The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science is a book written by American science author Natalie Angier.
The Canon is a weekly audio podcast on Earwolf which began airing on November 3, 2014. Each week Devin Faraci, of Birth.Movies.Death., and Amy Nicholson, of MTV News, discuss films they believe to be worthy of The Canon. The Canon is a list of films that the audience votes to decide whether it is one of "the greatest films of all time", similar to the Western Canon. Sometimes versus episodes happen, typically with some connecting quality between the two films, e.g. Star Wars versus The Empire Strikes Back.
Usage examples of "the canon".
So deep was the ignorance and credulity of the times, that the most absurd of fables was received, with equal reverence, in Greece and in France, and is still enrolled among the decrees of the canon law.
No doubt the canon will be relieved to be able to continue his journey.
Yes, it seems the situation there could hardly be more to the canon's satisfaction, now that it's stated.
Yes, it seems the situation there could hardly be more to the canon’.
Hugh came down from the castle to attend on the canon and exchange the news with him, though it was a very uneven exchange.
DeCourcy Parry decided that the time had come for him to retire and the Canon was loud in his regret, but of course understood all too well the workings of the artistic temperament.
His nephew is of his party here, and the canon is also his kinsman .
His nephew is of his party here, and the canon is also his kinsman….
For it is expressly stated in the Canon that no one is to be condemned of so great a crime by reason of a strong suspicion.
He went out to see what made the noise and saw many crows crossing back and forth over the canon.
If they could only escape from the canon with the fugitive witness, their mission to Mexico would be a success.