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Added 9 October 2026

canonize

/ˈkænənaɪz/ verb

Latin root: canōnizāre Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about canonize at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Declare (a dead person) to be a saint.
After he was shown to have performed a miracle, the priest was canonized
Treat as a sacred person.
He canonizes women

Origin

From Late Middle English canonizen (“to declare as a saint; to appoint to an ecclesiastical office”), from Old French canonisier (modern French canoniser (“to canonize”)), or from its etymon Medieval Latin, Late Latin canōnizāre, the present active infinitive of Latin canōnizō (“to recognize as a saint, canonize; to declare as authoritative or official”), from Latin canōn (“measuring line; (figurative) precept, rule, canon; authorized catalogue”) + -izō (suffix forming verbs). The English word is analysable as canon (“general principle, rule; authoritative group of works; catalogue of saints canonized in the Roman Catholic Church”) + -ize.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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