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1
of, relating to, or prescribed by church law
- The marriage was declared invalid under canonical law.
- Priests must follow canonical procedures when granting annulments.
- The bishop ruled that the act was contrary to canonical regulations.
- Canonical penalties apply to those who violate church doctrine.
- His appointment required canonical approval from the Vatican.
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2
included in or accepted as part of the official biblical canon
- The Gospel of John is a canonical text of the New Testament.
- Some early writings were excluded from the canonical scriptures.
- The Psalms hold a central place among canonical writings.
- The Apocrypha is not considered canonical by most Protestant traditions.
- Canonical books are regarded as divinely inspired.
Synonyms:
3
according to the rules that are broadly accepted or are official
- The text is considered canonical in the study of classical literature, adhering to accepted scholarly standards.
- His approach to the problem followed a canonical method, reflecting the established procedures.
- The film's adaptation was faithful to the canonical storyline of the original novel.
- The committee ensured that the new policy was in line with canonical guidelines.
- Her interpretation of the historical event was based on canonical sources recognized by experts.
Synonyms:
4
(mathematics, logic, computing) expressed in the simplest or most standard form without loss of generality or meaning
- The equation was rewritten in canonical form for easier computation.
- Canonical representation simplifies comparison between data sets.
- Mathematicians prefer canonical notation for clarity.
- The canonical version of the algorithm eliminates redundancy.
- The canonical structure highlights the essential relationships.
5
(of an author or literary work) accepted as highly acclaimed authors or pieces of literature, which are collectively referred to as the literary canon
- Jane Austen's novels are considered part of the canonical literature of English literature, studied and revered by scholars and readers alike.
- The professor's course focused on the canonical works of Western literature, including classics by Homer, Shakespeare, and Dante.
- Critics debated whether the new author's groundbreaking novel would eventually be recognized as part of the literary canon and achieve canonical status.
- The anthology included a range of canonical texts, providing a comprehensive overview of the most influential literary works in history.
- The student's thesis explored themes of identity and power in canonical literature, examining how these works have shaped cultural narratives over time.