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
Examples of canonical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By leaning on this blockchain technology for trust, the aggregator gains a robust shield against tampering, ensuring the aggregated proof has a canonical reference point that anyone can independently verify.
—
Ayush Gupta, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
The canonical number of Olympians was 12, but sources disagree about who should be included.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
Her tales of power-hungry telepaths and erotic alien encounters are now canonical, in science fiction and beyond.
—Stephen Kearse, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The location was canonical: on Whitehall, opposite the Cenotaph, Britain’s most important monument to its war dead.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for canonical 
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Ayush Gupta, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
The canonical number of Olympians was 12, but sources disagree about who should be included.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
Her tales of power-hungry telepaths and erotic alien encounters are now canonical, in science fiction and beyond.
—Stephen Kearse, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The location was canonical: on Whitehall, opposite the Cenotaph, Britain’s most important monument to its war dead.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for canonical
Dictionary Entries Near canonical
Cite this Entry
“Canonical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canonical. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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