Origin: Latin
suffix -al
Canonical has 6 different meanings across 1 category:
Adjective
Noun
1
The formal robes of a priest.
"The old priest adjusted his canonicals before stepping into the sanctuary for the morning service."
Adjective
1
appearing in a biblical canon
"a canonical book of the Christian New Testament"
2
of or relating to or required by canon law
"The bishop insisted that all decisions regarding church marriage must strictly follow canonical procedures outlined in ancient texts."
3
reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible without loss of generality
"a basic story line"
"a canonical syllable pattern"
4
conforming to orthodox or recognized rules
"the drinking of cocktails was as canonical a rite as the mixing"
5
Present in a canon, religious or otherwise.
"The priest explained that the story was considered canonical because it appeared directly in the official collection of scriptures."
Example Sentences
"a canonical book of the Christian New Testament"
adjective
"a basic story line"
adjective
"a canonical syllable pattern"
adjective
"the drinking of cocktails was as canonical a rite as the mixing"
adjective
Related Terms