canon law
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A collection of ecclesiastical laws which serve as the rule of church govern- ment. The professors or students of canon law are known as canonists.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “canon law” mean?
A collection of ecclesiastical laws which serve as the rule of church govern- ment. The professors or students of canon law are known as canonists.
Is “canon law” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.