Canonist

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A scholar who focuses on ecclesiastical law and its interpretations is known for their expertise in religious legal codes and practices within a church context
2. A person who studies and interprets the laws governing a religious church
3. One who specializes in the principles and regulations used in church legal systems

Etymology: A canonist is an expert in canon law, the body of rules governing the Christian church. The word is built from "canon," which in this sense goes back to the Greek "kanon," meaning a rod or measuring stick, and came to mean a rule or standard, especially one set by church councils. The suffix "-ist" marks a person who specializes in or practises something, so a canonist is literally someone skilled in the church's rules. Because the word is so transparent, its meaning has changed little since it was formed, and it still refers specifically to scholars and practitioners of church law rather than to anyone who follows rules in general. The sense of "canon" as a measuring rod is the same thread that runs through its other English descendants, such as "canonical" and "canonise."

Synonyms: canon lawyer, ecclesiastical lawyer