1. a person who canonizes; one who declares or recognizes someone as a saint or as worthy of veneration
Usage: often used in religious contexts, particularly in the Catholic Church
2. a person who establishes or validates something as a standard, rule, or accepted principle
Usage: figurative use; less common than the religious sense

Examples

• The Pope, as the head of the Church, serves as the ultimate canonizer of saints.
• The canonizer of the new literary canon faced criticism from scholars who disagreed with the selections.
• Medieval canonizers documented the lives of early Christian martyrs.
• The committee acted as canonizers of best practices in the industry.
• Religious canonizers must investigate the miracles attributed to candidates for sainthood.