Brewer's: Canonical Hours

The times within which the sacred offices may be performed. In the Roman Catholic Church they are seven- viz. matins, prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline. Prime, tierce, sext, and nones are the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, counting from six in the morning. Compline is a corruption of completorium (that which completes the services of the day). The reason why there are seven canonical hours is that David says, “Seven times a day do I praise thee” (Psalm oxix. 164).

In England the phrase means the time of the day within which persons can be legally married, i.e. from eight in the morning to three p m.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language