Word: canonize Part of Speech: verb Etymology: 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. Pronunciation: /ˈkænənaɪz/, /ˈkænəˌnaɪz/ 1. To declare (a deceased person) as a saint, and enter them into the canon of saints. Labels: British, English, Oxford, US, transitive Example: Thomas Becket was canonized in 1173. Example: Wée maye woorſhippe neyther the Virgine Marie, neyther the Apoſtles, neyther any Saincte, neyther make holy dayes, or Temples for them, muche leſſe Canonize them, which comprehendeth all theſe. 2. To regard as a saint; to glorify, to exalt to the highest honour. Labels: British, English, Oxford, US, figuratively, transitive Example: She is a theame of honour and renowne, / A ſpurre to valiant and magnanimous deeds, / Whoſe preſent courage may beate downe our foes, / And fame in time to come canonize us, [...] Example: The Poet puts all his Wit into the Mouths of Rooks and Bullies; and if an honeſt Man appear, he is ſure to be hooted at, and generally goes off both Fool and Cuckold. Is not this to condemn Virtue? to execute it in Effigie? and to canonize Vice by Deputy? 3. To formally declare (a piece of religious writing) to be part of the biblical canon. Labels: British, English, Oxford, US, transitive Example: Yet becauſe there are Two Pretences made; One, that elſewhere he Canonizeth all the reſt of the Conteſted Books; and another, that in this place he detracteth nothing in that behalf from the Books of the Maccabes, we will clear the way before us, and anſwer them both. Example: Not all psalms that claim Davidic authorship were included in the canon, but those that were canonized frequently had this association. 4. To regard (an artistic or written work or its creator) as one of a group that are representative of a particular field. Labels: British, English, Oxford, US, broadly, transitive Example: To these errors the Middle Ages contributed not a little by canonizing all the ancient authorities so that when modern historical criticism came into vogue the reaction against authority went too far and skepticism overleaped the mark. Example: [I]n canonizing horror films and ranking serial killers among the entertainment elite, have we made the perilous environment that lies just beyond the coursing marquee lights and pale glow of the video monitor an even more dangerous space? 5. Especially of a church: to give official approval to; to authorize, to sanction. Labels: British, English, Oxford, US, transitive Example: He ſhews, the Legate's Drift was to Canonize all the Abuſes of the Court of Rome: ſo they never ſuffer'd them to be treated of freely, but managed them like the Compounding of a Law-Suit: [...] Example: [T]hat a rhetorician, like Libanius, a Pagan even to madneſs, ſhould think the Chriſtians capable of attempting the life of Julian, is not ſurpriſing. [...] But that an eccleſiaſtical hiſtorian, like Sozomen, ſhould be tempted to canoniſe ſo deteſtable an action, might perhaps not be credited on my aſſertion.