hymn

American  

[him] / hɪm /

noun

1. a song or ode in praise or honor of God, a deity, a nation, etc.

   Synonyms:

   paean, psalm, anthem

2. something resembling this, as a speech, essay, or book in praise of someone or something.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to praise or celebrate in a hymn; express in a hymn.

verb (used without object)

1. to sing hymns.

hymn British  

/ ˈhɪmnɪk, hɪm /

noun

1. a Christian song of praise sung to God or a saint

2. a similar song praising other gods, a nation, etc

---

verb

1. to express (praises, thanks, etc) by singing hymns

Other Word Forms

• hymner noun
• hymnic adjective
• hymnlike adjective
• unhymned adjective

Etymology

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 )

Example Sentences

Two years later, near the end of my training, I was sitting in church, listening to the choir sing something beautiful, though I do not recall the precise hymn.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

The Belgian government is singing from the same hymn sheet.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Among those elements was a Portuguese reading, a nod to associations with Anglican churches in Angola and Mozambique, and also a South African Xhosa hymn.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

A 1772 meditation about the crucifixion by a man who struggled with depression all his life, the hymn dwells on Christ’s gory death and evokes the metaphor of sinners bathing in blood.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 25, 2026

I stood by the door while she finished the hymn and ran through choruses of “Maple Leaf Rag,” “Georgia Blues,” and “Good Ole Summertime,” which she hummed, then played again, singing the words.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

• chant
• ditty
• oratorio
• paean
• psalm