canonize
/'kænənaiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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
- treat as a sacred person
- He canonizes women
- declare (a dead person) to be a saint
- After he was shown to have performed a miracle, the priest was canonized