n. 1 a a general law, rule, principle, or criterion. b a church decree or law. 2 (fem. canoness) a a member of a cathedral chapter. b a member of certain RC orders. 3 a a collection or list of sacred books etc. accepted as genuine. b the recognized genuine works of a particular author; a list of these. 4 the part of the Roman Catholic Mass containing the words of consecration. 5 Mus. a piece with different parts taking up the same theme successively, either at the same or at a different pitch. canon law ecclesiastical law. canon regular (or regular canon) see REGULAR adj. 9b.
[ OE f. L f. Gk kanon, in ME also f. AF & OF canun, -on; in sense 2 ME f. OF canonie f. eccl.L canonicus: cf. CANONICAL ]