Words / B2

KAN-uh-n/ˈkænən/

A cannon is a large, heavy gun, formerly on ships or in forts (plural often unchanged: cannon): a cannon ball; naval cannon. Gun and artillery are broader; a canon (one n) is a rule or a church post — same pronunciation, different spelling. Date the cannon in the fort inventory. Mix-up: cannon vs canon; canyon; do not write cannon for a firework or a sports “cannon” kick unless the source uses that metaphor.

Meaning

A large, heavy gun, formerly on ships or in forts (plural often unchanged: cannon).

Examples

• “Date the cannon in the fort inventory, not a fireworks caption.”
• “The literary canon featured in the English paper, which is the one-n sense — not the gun.”

Good to know

a cannon; naval / field cannon; cannon ball (historic). Broader: artillery. Homophone: canon (rule / church post). Trap: canyon. History and English. A large heavy gun — do not confuse with canon.

Near in meaning

artillery, gun, howitzer

New