Relating to or according to a canon; recognized as authoritative, standard, or part of an approved list or body of work.
From Latin canonicus, derived from canon (a rule or standard). Originally referred to things conforming to religious law, later broadened to mean 'standard' or 'official.'
In literature, the 'canonic works' are the ones everyone agrees matter most—but what counts as canonical changes over time, showing how cultures reshape what they think is important.
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