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Overview
canoness
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The name was first used in the 8th cent. of communities of women who lived in common but did not renounce their property. They were later known as ‘secular canonesses’ and are now extinct. After the 11th cent. many orders of canons regular had counterparts for women, whose members were known as ‘canonesses regular’; some survive.
Subjects: History — Early history (500 CE to 1500)
