Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A member of a religious community of women living under a common rule and bound by vows of obedience, chastity, and in some cases poverty.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Eccles., a member of a community of women living under a rule, but not obliged to make any vows or to renounce the world.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A woman who holds a canonry in a conventual chapter.
- noun one bound by the vow of poverty, and observing a strict rule of life.
- noun one allowed to hold private property, and bound only by vows of chastity and obedience so long as she chose to remain in the chapter.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun dated A
woman who holds acanonry in aconventual chapter .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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As a canoness, Hrotswitha didn't take a vow of poverty, and had freedom of movement not allowed to nuns.
Medieval Women I Adore - Installment 4: Hrotswitha von Gandersheim Heo 2006
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“If I am ever dean,” said Mr. Slope, “that is, were I ever to become so, I should glory in such a canoness.”
Barchester Towers 2004
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Isabel was sure moreover that her mild forehead and silver cross referred to some weird Anglican mystery — some delightful reinstitution perhaps of the quaint office of the canoness.
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The former was called Madame, because she was canoness of a chapter at Lorraine.
The Entire Memoirs of Louis XIV and the Regency d'Orleans, Charlotte -Elisabeth, duchesse 2001
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The former was called Madame, because she was canoness of a chapter at
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At her side stood her younger sister, a canoness, who was paying her a few days 'visit -- an amiable lady with a very cheerful temperament.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 100, April, 1876 Various
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Madame Hanska was not only willing that Balzac should write to her but sent him her address and they exchanged messages frequently about the canoness.
Women in the Life of Balzac Juanita Helm Floyd
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[Footnote 2: In his early days the President of the Royal Academy painted a very striking portrait of Jane Porter, as "Miranda," and Harlowe painted her in the canoness dress of the order of St. Joachim.]
International Weekly Miscellany - Volume 1, No. 7, August 12, 1850 Various
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One of their first victims was an aged nun of the Simiane family, canoness of the convent of Bollene, accused of being a counter-revolutionist; so lame and infirm, that her executioners were forced to carry her to the scaffold.
Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone Made During the Year 1819 John Hughes
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One young and lovely canoness dared to maintain the rights of her freedom, even in the face of her most amiable enemy.
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