Standard Lemma guide

canonical

adj · noun · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /kəˈnɒn.ɪ.kəl/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [kəˈnɒn.ɪ.kɫ̩]
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /kəˈnɑ.nɪ.kəl/
  • Canada, General-American: [kəˈnɑ.nɪ.kɫ̩]
  • Australian: /kəˈnɔn.ɪ.kəl/
  • Australian: [kəˈnɔn.ɪ.kɫ̩]
  • New-Zealand: /kəˈnɒn.ə.kəl/
  • New-Zealand: [kəˈnɔ̟n.ə.kɫ̩]
  • rhymes with -ɒnɪkəl
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 N AA1 N AH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Present in a canon, religious or otherwise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The Gospel of Luke is a canonical New Testament book.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

According to recognised or orthodox rules.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The men played golf in the most canonical way, with no local rules.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Stated or used in the most basic and straightforwardly applicable manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • the reduction of a linear substitution to its canonical form

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Prototypical.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

In conformity with canon law.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: lifestyle, religion

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

In the form of a canon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Of or pertaining to an ecclesiastical chapter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: lifestyle, religion

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adj

Meaning 8

In canonical form.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adj

Meaning 9

Distinguished among entities of its kind, so that it can be picked out in a way that does not depend on any arbitrary choices.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adj

Meaning 10

Related to or part of the canon of a fictional universe; officially part of a fictional work’s established continuity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

Topics: lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

The formal robes of a priest.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

A URL presented in canonical form.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Internet

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective

Meaning 13

of or relating to or required by canon law

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: canonic

Antonyms: none provided

14

adjective

Meaning 14

appearing in a biblical canon

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a canonical book of the Christian New Testament

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: canonic

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

conforming to orthodox or recognized rules- Sinclair Lewis

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the drinking of cocktails was as canonical a rite as the mixing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: canonic, sanctioned

Antonyms: none provided

16

adjective satellite

Meaning 16

reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible without loss of generality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a basic story line
  • a canonical syllable pattern

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: basic, canonic

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English canonycal, from Medieval Latin canōnicālis. By surface analysis, canon + -ical.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: canònic — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Esperanto: kanona — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Finnish: kanoninen — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Finnish: kaanoniin kuuluva — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • French: canonique — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Galician: canónico — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Greek: κανονικός (kanonikós) — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Japanese: カノン的な (kanon-teki na) — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Kazakh: каноникалық (kanonikalyq) — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Manx: canoanagh — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Old English: gesettendlīc — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Polish: kanoniczny — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Portuguese: canónico — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Portuguese: canônico — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Spanish: canónico — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Swedish: kanonisk — present in a canon, religious or otherwise
  • Finnish: oikeaoppinen — according to recognised or orthodox rules
  • French: orthodoxe — according to recognised or orthodox rules
  • Kazakh: канондық (kanondyq) — according to recognised or orthodox rules
  • Old English: gesettendlīc — according to recognised or orthodox rules
  • Polish: kanoniczny — according to recognised or orthodox rules
  • Portuguese: canónico — according to recognised or orthodox rules
  • Portuguese: canônico — according to recognised or orthodox rules
  • Finnish: kanoninen — stated or used in the most basic and straightforwardly applicable manner
  • French: basique — stated or used in the most basic and straightforwardly applicable manner
  • Catalan: canònic — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Finnish: kanoninen — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • French: canonique — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Greek: κανονικός (kanonikós) — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Manx: agglishagh — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Manx: canoanagh — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Old English: gesettendlīc — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Polish: kanoniczny — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Portuguese: canónico — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Portuguese: canônico — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Spanish: canónico — (religion) in conformity with canon law
  • Finnish: kaanonissa — (music) in the form of a canon
  • Finnish: kaanon- — (music) in the form of a canon
  • Finnish: kanoninen — (religion) of or pertaining to an ecclesiastical chapter
  • Greek: κανονικός (kanonikós) — (religion) of or pertaining to an ecclesiastical chapter
  • Armenian: կանոնական (kanonakan) — in canonical form
  • Czech: kanonický — in canonical form
  • Finnish: kanoninen — in canonical form
  • Finnish: kanonisoitu — in canonical form
  • French: canonique — in canonical form
  • Polish: kanoniczny — in canonical form
  • Portuguese: canónico — in canonical form
  • Portuguese: canônico — in canonical form
Real reading context

canonical in complete knowledge articles