deuterocanonical
|deu-te-ro-ca-non-i-cal|
🇺🇸
/ˌduːtərəˈkɑːnɪkəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌdjuːtərəˈkɒnɪk(ə)l/
second canon / secondarily canonical
Etymology
'deuterocanonical' originates from Greek elements: 'deutero-' from Greek 'deuteros' meaning 'second' and 'canonical' from Late Latin/Greek 'kanon' meaning 'rule' or 'standard'.
'deuterocanonical' entered English via Medieval/Church Latin forms (e.g. Medieval Latin 'deuterocanonicus' or New Latin usage) and eventually became the modern English adjective 'deuterocanonical'.
Initially it literally meant 'belonging to the second canon' (a secondary list of canonical writings); over time it came to refer specifically to those biblical books regarded as canonical by some Christian traditions but not by others.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to the deuterocanon: denoting books regarded as canonical by some Christian traditions (notably Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) but not included in the Hebrew Bible or considered canonical by other traditions (e.g., many Protestant denominations).
The deuterocanonical books such as Tobit and Judith are included in the Catholic Old Testament but are omitted from the Protestant canon.
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Adjective 2
describing something as of secondary or disputed canonical status — i.e., regarded as having lesser or differing authority in the canon by some communities.
Early church councils debated whether certain texts should be considered deuterocanonical or excluded entirely.
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Last updated: 2025/08/17 10:31