canonical
ca
no
ˈnɒ
no
ni
ni
cal
kəl
kēl
monocle

Definition & Meaning of "canonical"in English

canonical
01

of, relating to, or prescribed by church law 

Grammatical Information
Composition
Compound
relational
ungradable
Examples
The marriage was declared invalid under canonical law. 
02

included in or accepted as part of the official biblical canon 

Examples
The Gospel of John is a canonical text of the New Testament. 
03

according to the rules that are broadly accepted or are official 

Examples
The text is considered canonical in the study of classical literature, adhering to accepted scholarly standards. 
04

(mathematics, logic, computing) expressed in the simplest or most standard form without loss of generality or meaning 

Examples
The equation was rewritten in canonical form for easier computation. 
05

(of an author or literary work) accepted as highly acclaimed authors or pieces of literature, which are collectively referred to as the literary canon 

Examples
Jane Austen's novels are considered part of the canonical literature of English literature, studied and revered by scholars and readers alike. 
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