hymn
[ him ]
/ hɪm /
noun
a song or ode in praise or honor of God, a deity, a nation, etc.
something resembling this, as a speech, essay, or book in praise of someone or something.
verb (used with object)
to praise or celebrate in a hymn; express in a hymn.
verb (used without object)
to sing hymns.
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Nearby words
hymenopterous, hymenotomy, hymettian, hymettus, hymie, hymn, hymn book, hymnal, hymnal stanza, hymnary, hymner
Origin of hymn
before 1000; < Latin hymnus < Greek hýmnos song in praise of gods or heroes; replacing Middle English ymne (< Old French) and Old English ymn (< Late Latin ymnus)
Related formshymn·er [him-er, -ner] /ˈhɪm ər, -nər/, nounhymn·like, adjectiveun·hymned, adjective
Can be confusedhim hymn
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for hymn
British Dictionary definitions for hymn
hymn
/ (hɪm) /
noun
a Christian song of praise sung to God or a saint
a similar song praising other gods, a nation, etc
verb
to express (praises, thanks, etc) by singing hymns
Derived Formshymnic (ˈhɪmnɪk), adjectivehymnlike, adjective
Word Origin for hymn
C13: from Latin hymnus, from Greek humnos
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for hymn
hymn
c.1000, from Old French ymne and Old English ymen, both from Latin hymnus "song of praise," from Greek hymnos "song or ode in praise of gods or heroes," used in Septuagint for various Hebrew words meaning "song praising God." Possibly a variant of hymenaios "wedding song," from Hymen, Greek god of marriage (see hymen), or from a PIE root *sam- "to sing" (cf. Hittite išhamai "he sings," Sanskrit saman- "hymn, song") [Watkins]. Evidence for the silent -n- dates from at least 1530.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper