Definition

1. Verb:
   • To officially declare (a deceased person) to be a saint: This is the primary religious meaning, involving a formal process by a church, especially the Roman Catholic Church, to recognize someone as worthy of public veneration.
   • To treat or regard as sacred, holy, or supremely important: This figurative meaning involves giving someone or something the highest possible reverence or authority, often in a non-religious context.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The Vatican decided to canonize Mother Teresa for her lifelong service to the poor.
  • Some critics canonize that author's early work, considering it the peak of literary achievement.

Advanced Usage

• "To be canonized": To undergo the process of being declared a saint.
  • Joan of Arc was canonized centuries after her death.
• "To canonize a text": To officially include a text in a list of authoritative or sacred works.
  • The council met to canonize the books that would form the official biblical scripture.

Variants and Related Words

• Canonization (n): The act or process of canonizing a person.
  • The canonization ceremony was attended by thousands.
• Canon (n): A general law, rule, or principle; or a collection of authoritative sacred texts.
  • The works of Shakespeare are part of the literary canon.

Synonyms

• Beatify: (In Catholicism) to declare a deceased person to be in a state of bliss, a step before canonization.
• Sanctify: To set apart as or declare holy; to free from sin.
• Deify: To make a god of; to idealize or worship.

Related Phrases

• "To be elevated to sainthood": A phrase often used synonymously with being canonized.
  • The humble nun was elevated to sainthood after a lengthy investigation.

Verb

1. treat as a sacred person
   • He canonizes women
2. declare (a dead person) to be a saint
   • After he was shown to have performed a miracle, the priest was canonized