canonical

adjective

ca·​non·​i·​cal kə-ˈnä-ni-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or forming a canon

canonical scriptures

2

: conforming to a general rule or acceptable procedure : orthodox

His proposals were generally accepted as canonical.

3

: of or relating to a clergyman who is a canon

4

: reduced to the canonical form

a canonical matrix

canonically

kə-ˈnä-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of canonical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In game theory, there are two types of canonical games. —Vineer Bhansali, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025

The canonical example is of course our own moon, a decently big chunk of rock that orbits Earth. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2025

For three minutes each, movie lovers could enter the Criterion Closet truck to rifle through the company’s expansive archive of canonical works, plucking DVD and Blu-ray copies to purchase and take home. —Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 20 Mar. 2025

Crouch used a canonical children’s fantasy movie as allegory for the the legal hurdles the district faced in relation to the proposal to split. —Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see canon entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing canonical

• canonical form
• canonical hour

Rhymes for canonical

• ironical
• chronicle
• conical
• monocle

Kids Definition

canonical

adjective

ca·​non·​i·​cal kə-ˈnän-i-kəl 

1

: relating to or allowed by church law

2

: following a general rule or accepted procedure

canonically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb