anthem

American  

[an-thuhm] / ˈæn θəm /

noun

1. a song, as of praise, devotion, or patriotism.

   the national anthem of Spain; our college anthem.

2. a piece of sacred vocal music, usually with words taken from the Scriptures.

3. a hymn sung alternately by different sections of a choir or congregation.

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verb (used with object)

1. to celebrate with or in an anthem.

anthem British  

/ ˈænθəm, ænˈθɛmɪk /

noun

1. a song of loyalty or devotion, as to a nation or college

   a national anthem

2. a musical composition for a choir, usually set to words from the Bible, sung as part of a church service

3. a religious chant sung antiphonally

4. a popular rock or pop song

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Other Word Forms

• anthemic adjective

Etymology

Origin of anthem

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

Explanation

Rousing, reverential, sometimes even revolutionary, an anthem is a song that represents the ideals of a group of people. Anthem comes from Old English antefn. The original word meant a song sung antiphonally, or in turns by two groups of singers. Today, anthem has little to do with the way the vocals are arranged and more to do with the content of the message. When a group of people sing an anthem, whether it’s the national anthem, or the anthem of your third-grader’s beetle-collecting club, they express their devotion to a cause they identify with.

Example Sentences

Then suddenly, after six years of graft, Wolf's grungy obsession anthem In My Room started trending on TikTok.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Twenty-one-year-old Caden Booth flew from Cincinnati to Levi’s Stadium in California to listen to national anthem rehearsals before Super Bowl LX to bet on the length of the performance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

As the closing credits kick in, Mackenzie lets off some well-earned steam with an apropos punk rock anthem, the Clash’s cover of “Police & Thieves.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

“Nasty” has been called a feminist anthem, planting a flag for a woman’s right to self-determination.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

Rayner Taylor announced that he would be printing “an anthem suitable to the present occasion.”

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

Related Words

• chant
• chorus
• hymn
• melody