Etymology Dictionary

CANON (1),  a rule, ordinance.  (L.,—Gk.)   M.E. canon, canoun; Chaucer, Treatise on the Astrolabe, ed. Skeat, pp. 3, 42; C. T. Group C, 890.   A.S. canon; Beda, Eccl. Hist. (tr. by Ælfred), iv. 24; Bosworth.—Lat. canon, a rule.—Gk. κανών, a straight rod, a rule in the sense of 'carpenter's rule;' also, a rule or model, a standard of right.—Gk. κάνη, a rarer form of κάννη, a cane, reed.   See Cane.   Der. canon-ic, canon-ic-al, canon-ic-al-ly, canon-ist, canon-ic-ity, canon-ise (Gower, C. A. i. 254), canon-is-at-ion, canon-ry.   Doublet, cannon, q.v.

ADDENDA

CANON (2), a dignitary of the church.  (F.,—L.,—Gk.)   M.E. canun, Layamon, ii. 598, l. 24289; canoun, id. (later text), l. 24288.—O.F. canone, canogne (Roquefort), more commonly canonie, chanoine (Littré, s.v. chanoine); the pl. canunie occurs in the Chanson du Roland, 3637.—Lat. canonicum, acc. of canonicus, adj., one on the church-roll or list, and so in receipt of church-funds.—Lat. canon, the church-roll or list.   See Hatch, Bampton Lectures, p. 202.   See Canon (1).   N.B.  The Span. cañon, a deep ravine, lit. a tube, is the same word as cañon, a cannon; see Cannon.