canon

Where “canon” sits in English frequency

Definition

1. 1
   A generally accepted principle; a rule.
2. 2
   A generally accepted principle; a rule.
3. 3
   A group of literary works that are generally accepted as representing a field.
4. 4
   The works of a writer that have been accepted as authentic.
5. 5
   A eucharistic prayer, particularly the Roman Canon.
6. 6
   A religious law or body of law decreed by the church.
7. 7
   A catalogue of saints acknowledged and canonized in the Roman Catholic Church.
8. 8
   In monasteries, a book containing the rules of a religious order.
9. 9
   A piece of music in which the same melody is played by different voices, but beginning at different times; a round.
10. 10
    A rent or stipend payable at some regular time, generally annual, e.g., canon frumentarius
11. 11
    Those sources, especially including literary works, which are considered part of the main continuity regarding a given fictional universe; (metonymic) these sources' content.
12. 12
    Alternative form of cannon (“rolled and filleted loin of meat”).
13. 13
    A large size of type formerly used for printing the church canons, standardized as 48-point.
14. 14
    The part of a bell by which it is suspended; the ear or shank of a bell.

Etymology

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.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acnon,canno,canonn,caonn,ccanon,cnaon

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of canon - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Frequently Asked Questions