(CNAME) A host' s offiCial name as opposed to an alias. The offiCial name is the first hostname listed for its {Internet address} in the hostname database, {/etC/hosts} or the Network Information ServiCe (NIS) map hosts.byaddr ("hosts" for short). A host with multiple network interfaCes may have more than one Internet address, eaCh with its own CanoniCal name (and zero or more aliases). You Can find a host' s CanoniCal name using nslookup if you say set querytype=CNAME and then type a hostname. (1994-11-29)