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hymn

[him]
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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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RELATED WORDS

chant, paean, ditty, psalm, oratorio, descant, aria, laud, shout, lay, carol, ode, choral, lied, evensong, chorale, canticle, hallelujah, hosanna, alleluia

Nearby words

  1. hymenopterous,
  2. hymenotomy,
  3. hymettian,
  4. hymettus,
  5. hymie,
  6. hymn book,
  7. hymnal,
  8. hymnal stanza,
  9. hymnary,
  10. 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

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for hymn

hymn

n.

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