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English word origin

Etymology of kanon

From Ancient Greek κᾰνών (kănṓn, “straight rod, bar”). Doublet of cannon, canon, and canyon.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

Synonym of monochord (used mainly in reference to ancient Greek music)

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Ancient Greek κᾰνών (kănṓn, “straight rod, bar”). Doublet of cannon, canon, and canyon.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "κᾰνών",
        "4": "",
        "5": "straight rod, bar"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek κᾰνών (kănṓn, “straight rod, bar”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cannon",
        "3": "canon",
        "4": "canyon"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of cannon, canon, and canyon"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "κᾰνών",
      "κανών#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "cannon",
      "cannon#English"
    ],
    [
      "canon",
      "canon#English"
    ],
    [
      "canyon",
      "canyon#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
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        "Synonym of monochord (used mainly in reference to ancient Greek music)"
      ],
      "tags": [],
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      "rawRecordSha256": "969aa882bf7d332997d567145c5eaa09d13c3e7e3eeb76d7f87e538302053b7c",
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    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
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  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

Synonym of qanun (used mainly in reference to Armenian music)

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Armenian քանոն (kʻanon).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hy",
        "3": "քանոն"
      },
      "expansion": "Armenian քանոն (kʻanon)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "քանոն",
      "քանոն#Armenian"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Synonym of qanun (used mainly in reference to Armenian music)"
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "e51e56aa55acadf47c676d24c28a355c82c940fa6454c97a765dec3e178755c7",
      "rawRecordSha256": "1562391d3833b7d78062bbe59b20dca1de3dbabd19b0a5680513d0b8adcd210b",
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for kanon →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-a2Fub24