canon

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Latin, ruler, rule, model, standard, from Greek kanōn Date: before 12th century 1. a. a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council b. a provision of canon law 2. [Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin, from Latin, model] the most solemn and unvarying part of the Mass including the consecration of the bread and wine 3. [Middle English, from Late Latin, from Latin, standard] a. an authoritative list of books accepted as Holy Scripture b. the authentic works of a writer c. a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works <

the canon of great literature

> 4. a. an accepted principle or rule b. a criterion or standard of judgment c. a body of principles, rules, standards, or norms 5. [Late Greek kanōn, from Greek, model] a contrapuntal musical composition in which each successively entering voice presents the initial theme usually transformed in a strictly consistent way Synonyms: see law II. noun Etymology: Middle English canoun, from Anglo-French *canoun, chanoun, from Late Latin canonicus one living under a rule, from Latin, according to rule, from Greek kanonikos, from kanōn Date: 13th century 1. a clergyman belonging to the chapter or the staff of a cathedral or collegiate church 2. canon regular