(adj ) Characteristic of adhering to standard, accepted, or authoritative procedures or principles
This term implies that something has been reduced to its simplest form (note that it also has a religious meaning)
If something has canonical status, it is accepted as having all the qualities that a thing of its kind should have. Ballard's status as a canonical writer
Belonging to some established official group, especially a book that is part of the accepted canon of the Bible The "canonical" Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John The "Gospel of Thomas" is a non-canonical gnostic text that was not included in the Bible