canon2
Pronunciation: /ˈkanən/
noun
- a member of the clergy who is on the staff of a cathedral, especially one who is a member of the chapter: he was appointed canon of Christ Church, Oxford
- (also canon regular or regular canon) (in the Roman Catholic Church) a member of certain orders of clergy that live communally according to an ecclesiastical rule in the same way as monks.
Origin:
Middle English (in the sense 'canon regular'): from Old French canonie, from Latin canonicus 'according to rule' (see canonic). The other sense dates from the mid 16th century