# acanonical

CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/acanonical
Updated: 2026-05-26

## Definition

not following the official rules or standards of a specific group or system. It is often used to describe things that are not part of the official list or set of rules.

For teachers: not conforming to the established rules, standards, or official lists of a particular system or group. Often used in technical or legal contexts to describe data or documents that fall outside the official schema.

## Examples

- The software failed to process the acanonical file format.
- The system rejected the request because the user provided an acanonical email address that did not match the official domain.
- In legal studies, an acanonical document is one that lacks the formal authority of a canonical text, often because it was not properly signed or witnessed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.