How Do You Define Canon?

The word canon has several meanings. A canon can be defines as the set of laws that a church council establishes. It could also be used to denote a rule, secular law or some sort of code of law.  A canon may also be a priest who belongs to a cathedral chapter. It is also the word for a musical piece where a melody in one section is copied exactly in another.

A list of saints recognized as saints by the Holy Roman Catholic Church is also called a canon. Those Biblical books that are recognised as inspired and are therefore considered to be scripture by a Christian church are called a canon. In North America a ravine in an area which receives scanty rainfall generally formed by a river is also called a canon.