hymnology

American  

[him-nol-uh-jee] / hɪmˈnɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the study of hymns, their history, classification, etc.

2. the composition of hymns.

3. hymns collectively.

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hymnology British  

/ ˌhɪmnəˈlɒdʒɪk, hɪmˈnɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of hymn composition

2. another word for hymnody

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Other Word Forms

• hymnologic adjective
• hymnological adjective
• hymnologically adverb
• hymnologist noun

Etymology

Origin of hymnology

First recorded in 1630–40; hymn + -o- + -logy

Example Sentences

Gillette, co-pastor of Overbrook Presbyterian Church, is the news commentator of hymnology, having turned current events into lyrics for more than 300 hymns over nearly 20 years.

From Seattle Times

Bristol University's Dr Emma Hornby said the new Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology would be put online in the first instance to give time for corrections and to enable regular updates in the future.

From BBC

Previous attempts to update the last, 1907 edition of the hymnology dictionary all ended badly, the publishers said.

From BBC

The original Dictionary of Hymnology was published in 1892.

From BBC

Among these may be mentioned in particular two hymns of Savonarola, which are rendered so exquisitely that one is tempted to suggest that the "Carmina Sedulii," with much more of the ancient Irish hymnology, are as yet untranslated into the tongue now used in Ireland.

From Project Gutenberg