anthem
Americannoun
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a song, as of praise, devotion, or patriotism.
the national anthem of Spain; our college anthem.
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a piece of sacred vocal music, usually with words taken from the Scriptures.
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a hymn sung alternately by different sections of a choir or congregation.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a song of loyalty or devotion, as to a nation or college
a national anthem
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a musical composition for a choir, usually set to words from the Bible, sung as part of a church service
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a religious chant sung antiphonally
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a popular rock or pop song
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing anthem
Star-Spangled Vocabulary: Patriotic Words
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Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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March Vocabulary Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But their singer, Satoshi, has a very strict routine, 30 seconds before he bursts onto the stage with his gregarious party anthem, Viva, Moldova!
From BBC • May 15, 2026
It was Kosmo that ended up inspiring his Eurovision entry – a cheeky 1980s-style pop anthem called Eins, Zwei, Drei.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Trump and Xi stood in the centre as a Chinese military band played The Star-Spangled Banner and then the Chinese national anthem as cannons fired.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
"For the blood of the martyrs, sing the national anthem with firmness and without hesitation," read one placard.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
When the anthem finishes and the screen goes dark, a hush falls on the room.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
