cannon

1 of 7

noun (1)

can·​non ˈka-nən 

plural cannons or cannon

1

plural usually cannon

a

: a large, heavy gun usually mounted on a carriage

b

: a heavy-caliber automatic aircraft gun firing explosive shells

c

: any device for propelling a substance or object at high speeds

an air cannon

a T-shirt cannon

see also water cannon

2

or canon : the projecting part of a bell by which it is hung : ear

3

: the part of the leg in which the cannon bone is found

4

sports, informal : a very strong throwing arm

While Hershberger had a quick, accurate arm, Lombardi had a cannon.

—William Nack

a shortstop with a cannon arm

cannon

2 of 7

verb

cannoned; cannoning; cannons

intransitive verb

: to discharge cannon

transitive verb

: cannonade

canon

3 of 7

noun (2)

can·​on ˈka-nən 

1

a

: a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council

b

: a provision of canon law

2

[Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin, from Latin, model] : the most solemn and unvarying part of the Mass including the consecration of the bread and wine

3

[Middle English, from Late Latin, from Latin, standard]

a

: an authoritative list of books accepted as Holy Scripture

b

: the authentic works of a writer

the Chaucer canon

c

: a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works

the canon of great literature

4

a

: an accepted principle or rule

b

: a criterion or standard of judgment

the canons of good taste

c

: a body of principles, rules, standards, or norms

According to newspaper canon … a big story calls for a lot of copy.

—A. J. Liebling

5

[Late Greek kanōn, from Greek, model] : a contrapuntal musical composition in which each successively entering voice presents the initial theme usually transformed in a strictly consistent way

canon

4 of 7

noun (3)

1

: a clergyperson belonging to the chapter or the staff of a cathedral or collegiate church

2

: canon regular

cañon

5 of 7

noun (4)

ca·​ñon

less common spelling of canyon

1

: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it

2

: something resembling a canyon

the city's concrete canyons

canyon

6 of 7

noun (5)

can·​yon ˈkan-yən 

variants or less commonly cañon

1

: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it

2

: something resembling a canyon

the city's concrete canyons

canun

7 of 7

noun (6)

ca·​nun

kä-ˈnün

variants or canon

kä-ˈnōn 

plural -s

: zither

Did you know?

What is the difference between cannon and canon?

Cannon and canon are occasionally confused by writers, but the two words have independent origins, and do not share a meaning. Cannon is most frequently found used in the sense of "a large gun," and can be traced to the Old Italian word cannone, which means "large tube." Canon, however, comes from the Greek word kanōn, meaning "rule." Although canon has a variety of meanings, it is most often found in the senses of "a rule or law of a church," "an accepted rule," or "a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works." A loose cannon is "a dangerously uncontrollable person or thing." There are no loose canons.

Synonyms of cannon

Noun (2)

• doctrine
• theology

Noun (5)

• ravine
• gorge
• valley

Choose the Right Synonym for cannon

law, rule, regulation, precept, statute, ordinance, canon mean a principle governing action or procedure.

law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority.

obey the law

rule applies to more restricted or specific situations.

the rules of the game

regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system.

regulations affecting nuclear power plants

precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching.

the precepts of effective writing

statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body.

a statute requiring the use of seat belts

ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality.

a city ordinance

canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide.

the canons of good taste

Examples of cannon in a Sentence

Verb

The ball cannoned off the goalpost and into the net.

Noun (2)

members of the church must abide by its canons

the canon of plays that are attributed to William Shakespeare

the ABA Model Code of Professional Responsibility is a lawyer's canon

Noun (5)

as the scouts made their way through the canyon, they marveled at the sheer walls of rock on both sides

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After all, industrial-grade foam cannons cost less than $3,000. —Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026

The jets have six underwing mounts for bombs or rockets as well as a 25-millimeter cannon that can fire 300 rounds, according to the Wings Over the Rockies aviation museum. —Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 4 June 2026

Verb

His first goal for the club arrived the following week in emphatic fashion, turning away from pressure neatly before cannoning this left-footed shot off the underside of the bar. —Thom Harris, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026

The junior didn’t pitch from Feb. 23 to April 18 with a shoulder injury, yet triumphed to cannon a 19-strikeout no-hitter on June 16 in a 3-0 win against Murray State. —Erick Taylor, Arkansas Online, 31 Dec. 2025

Noun

The gallery is now the exclusive partner of the Consejo Leonora Carrington in France and rossogranada, giving its global network—with locations in Paris, London, Shanghai, New York, and Brussels—access to the fantastical paintings and sculptures that cemented her place in the Surrealist canon. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 13 June 2026

The starkly self-incriminating nature of those lyrics marks a nice evolution in the contemporary canon of heartbreak pop. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026

Noun

The gallery is now the exclusive partner of the Consejo Leonora Carrington in France and rossogranada, giving its global network—with locations in Paris, London, Shanghai, New York, and Brussels—access to the fantastical paintings and sculptures that cemented her place in the Surrealist canon. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 13 June 2026

The starkly self-incriminating nature of those lyrics marks a nice evolution in the contemporary canon of heartbreak pop. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026

Noun

In February, the Boise City Council moved to stem future development in the city’s Foothills, vowing not to annex land deeper into the canyons north of town. —Mark Dee june 11, Idaho Statesman, 11 June 2026

Then, in July 2024, a wildfire swept through the canyon, destroying buildings and damaging much of the landscape. —Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English canon, from Anglo-French, from Old Italian cannone, literally, large tube, augmentative of canna reed, tube, from Latin, cane, reed — more at cane

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Latin, ruler, rule, model, standard, from Greek kanōn

Noun (3)

Middle English canoun, from Anglo-French *canoun, chanoun, from Late Latin canonicus one living under a rule, from Latin, according to rule, from Greek kanonikos, from kanōn

Noun (5)

American Spanish cañón, probably alteration of obsolete Spanish callón, augmentative of calle street, from Latin callis footpath

Noun (6)

Turkish & Arabic; Turkish kānun, from Arabic qānūn, from Greek kanōn monochord, measuring line, standard

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1567, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (3)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (5)

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cannon

• cannon bone
• cannon fodder
• loose cannon
• water cannon

Rhymes for cannon

• canon
• fanon
• mannan
• tannin
• olecranon
• trianon

Kids Definition

cannon

noun

can·​non

ˈkan-ən

plural cannons or cannon

1

: a large heavy gun usually mounted on wheels

2

: an automatic gun of large caliber on an airplane

Medical Definition

cannon

noun

can·​non ˈkan-ən 

: the part of the leg in which the cannon bone is found

Biographical Definition

Cannon

biographical name

Can·​non ˈka-nən 

Joseph Gurney 1836–1926 Uncle Joe American politician