paean

American  

[pee-uhn] / ˈpi ən /

Or pean

noun

1. a song of praise, joy, or triumph.

2. a formal expression of high praise, as a poem, movie, or monument.

   This documentary is another paean to the mystical power and beauty of the ocean.

3. an elaborate or excessive expression of praise; panegyric.

   His restaurant review is just a long and not very interesting paean to his favorite ethnic cuisine.

4. a hymn of invocation or thanksgiving to Apollo or some other ancient Greek deity.

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paean British  

/ ˈpiːən /

noun

1. a hymn sung in ancient Greece in invocation of or thanksgiving to a deity

2. any song of praise

3. enthusiastic praise

   the film received a paean from the critics

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Other Word Forms

• paeanism noun

Etymology

Origin of paean

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin Paeān, Paeōn “a Greek god, especially Apollo in his capacity as healer; a religious or festive hymn, addressed to Apollo or another god,” from Greek Paiā́n, Paiḗōn, Paiṓn “choral song, hymn, especially to Apollo,” personified as “the divine physician, Apollo”

Explanation

A paean is a hymn of praise or thanksgiving. You might sing a paean in church, where many hymns extol the greatness of God. Paean was originally a song of praise for Apollo, or Paian as he was sometimes called. You can now use paean to mean any song of praise, regardless of the deity, or to mean a formal expression of praise, like a eulogy. At your mother's birthday dinner, it might be nice for you and your brothers and sisters to write and sing a paean to her good-natured love and support of you over many years.

Example Sentences

C. Thi Nguyen considers that possibility in “The Score,” a paean to all kinds of games, from Risk to Super Mario Bros.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

The postwar period is rife with big names who used brands as both a pastiche of and paean to America’s consumer culture: Richard Prince, James Rosenquist, Ed Ruscha, Eduardo Paolozzi and—king of them all—Andy Warhol.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Merchan then cited Chief Justice John Roberts’ recent paean to the sanctity of judicial independence.

From Slate • Jan. 3, 2025

It is a resonant paean to darkness and death, modern but also eager to build on the worlds created by its predecessors.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2024

As for “Kaiser Billy,” who had butted him as he rose up, and thus did the damage, he galloped off with a loud “baa” of triumph, as if shouting a paean of victory.

From Fritz and Eric The Brother Crusoes by Hutcheson, John C. (John Conroy)

Related Words

• hymn