canonization
UK[ˌkænənaɪˈzeɪʃən]US[ˌkænənəˈzeɪʃən]
n
the act of officially declaring someone to be a saint in the christian church.
n
the act of giving official approval or authority to something, or of making something accepted as a standard.
Morpheme Breakdown
canon
ization
canon
rule, standard
ization
process of making
Etymology
the word 'canonization' traces its lineage to the greek 'kanōn', a term for a straight rod used as a measuring standard, which metaphorically extended to signify a rule or criterion. borrowed into latin as 'canon', it was adopted into ecclesiastical latin to denote authoritative scripture and church law, particularly regarding the official list of saints. the medieval latin verb 'canonizare' emerged, meaning 'to place in the canon or list of saints'. the english term 'canonization' was formed by appending the noun-forming suffix '-ization', which denotes a process, thus encapsulating the entire formal procedure of declaring sainthood. this semantic journey reflects a shift from a concrete tool of measurement to an abstract process of conferring the highest standard of spiritual recognition.
Analysis
Structure: canon (rule, standard) + ization (process of making)
canon originates from latin 'canon', meaning 'rule' or 'standard', itself from greek 'kanōn' meaning 'measuring rod, rule'. ization is a suffix of latin origin via french, forming nouns meaning 'the process of making or becoming'.
Examples
the canonization of mother teresa took place in 2016.
the process of canonization in the catholic church involves rigorous investigation of the candidate's life and miracles.
some critics argue that the canonization of certain literary works can limit the diversity of voices in the curriculum.