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Glite Dictionary
canoness

canoness

9.9
A woman who belongs to a religious community connected to a church
  • noun
  • /ˈkænənɛs/
translation icon : canonesa
  • The canoness took special care of the garden outside the convent.

Examples

  • Every Wednesday, the canoness teaches the younger sisters about their faith.

  • The canoness led the prayer service in the quiet chapel.

  • In 1049, Leo IX confirmed the possessions and rights of the Benedictine abbey of Stavelot-Malmédy and of the community of canonesses in Nivelles.

    Academic text (2018)

Synonyms

nun
vscanoness
413 2.7

A woman who lives in a religious community and promises to be poor, to not marry, and to obey leaders

is a community member attached to a church who may not take those vows
woman of the cloth
vscanoness
1 8.1

A woman who works as a religious leader in the Christian church

is a community member attached to a church not necessarily a leader
clergywoman
vscanoness
7.0

A woman who is a religious leader in the Christian church

is a community member rather than necessarily serving in church leadership
monastic
vscanoness
8.2

A person who lives in a monastery and follows strict religious rules

is attached to a church and may not live under religious vows

How Senior

abbess
3 8.9
prioress
1 9.9
canoness
9.9
nun
413 2.7
novice
8 7.1

Surface Forms

canoness singular
canonesses plural

Morphology

canoness = canon (transparent) = canon + ess

Formed by the regular feminine suffix '-ess' on 'canon', yielding 'female canon' in an expected way.

Etymology

Canoness comes from canon meaning 'rule', the same root you see in canonical, plus the ending -ess meaning 'female'. So, a canoness is a woman who follows the church's rules and belongs to a religious group attached to a church.