anthem

[ an-thuh m ]
/ ˈæn θəm /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR anthem ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a song, as of praise, devotion, or patriotism: the national anthem of Spain; our college anthem.
a piece of sacred vocal music, usually with words taken from the Scriptures.
a hymn sung alternately by different sections of a choir or congregation.

verb (used with object)

to celebrate with or in an anthem.

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Origin of anthem

before 1000; Middle English antem, Old English antemn(e), antefne < Late Latin antefana, antiphōna (feminine singular) < Greek antíphōna (see antiphon); spelling with h probably by association with hymn, with pronunciation then changed to reflect spelling

Words nearby anthem

antheil, anthelic arc, anthelion, anthelix, anthelmintic, anthem, anthema, anthemion, anthemius of tralles, anther, antheridiophore
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to anthem

hymn, chant, melody, chorus, paean, canticle

Example sentences from the Web for anthem

British Dictionary definitions for anthem

anthem
/ (ˈænθəm) /

noun

a song of loyalty or devotion, as to a nation or collegea national anthem
a musical composition for a choir, usually set to words from the Bible, sung as part of a church service
a religious chant sung antiphonally
a popular rock or pop song

Derived forms of anthem

anthemic (ænˈθɛmɪk), adjective

Word Origin for anthem

Old English antemne, from Late Latin antiphōna antiphon
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012