What does canonize mean?
Canonize is a verb with two closely related meanings. Its primary sense is religious: to officially declare a dead person to be a saint, a formal act carried out by the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church after a lengthy process verifying the candidate's life and miracles. By extension, the word is used figuratively to describe treating a person, work, or idea as beyond reproach — as though elevated to sainthood. Critics might say a culture has canonized certain authors, meaning those writers are regarded as unassailable classics. The verb derives from 'canon', meaning an official list or rule, reflecting the idea of entering someone onto the Church's authoritative register of saints. While the literal sense is solemn and formal, the figurative use can be neutral or faintly ironic, suggesting reverence that may exceed what is deserved. It remains a precise, expressive word for both religious ceremony and cultural veneration.
verbTo declare a deceased person to be a saint and worthy of veneration, especially through the formal decree of the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church. More broadly, to treat someone or something as being of supreme importance or unquestionable authority.
- To formally declare (a deceased person) to be a saint, especially by papal decree in the Roman Catholic Church.
- To regard or treat someone or something as being sacred, supremely important, or above criticism.
"The Pope canonized Mother Teresa before hundreds of thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square."
"Pope Francis canonized Junípero Serra during his 2015 visit to Washington, D.C."
"Literary scholars have all but canonized Joyce's Ulysses as the definitive modern novel."
The word 'canonize' literally means adding someone to a 'canon' — an official list — which is why it also applies when critics turn a novelist into literary scripture.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of canonize
Canonize comes from the Latin 'canon', meaning a rule, list, or standard, itself borrowed from Greek 'kanon' (measuring rod). The verb entered English in the late Middle English period via ecclesiastical Latin 'canonizare', referring to the Church's act of enrolling a person on the official list of saints. Cognates include 'canonical' and 'canon' itself, which also came to denote accepted scripture and, later, authoritative works of art.
Related word forms
How canonize is actually used
The religious sense is formal and specific to Catholic tradition; the figurative sense often carries a slightly ironic connotation, implying that excessive reverence may be unwarranted.
Easily confused with canonize
Cannonade means continuous heavy gunfire from cannons, whereas canonize means to officially declare someone a saint or treat them with reverence.