hymn

1 of 2

noun

ˈhim 

1

a

: a song of praise to God

sing a hymn of thanksgiving

b

: a metrical composition adapted for singing in a religious service

a book of hymns

2

: a song of praise or joy

in jolly hymns they praise the god of wine

—John Dryden

3

: something resembling a song of praise : paean

The novel is a hymn to childhood and innocence.

hymnlike

ˈhim-ˌlīk 

adjective

hymn

2 of 2

verb

hymned ˈhimd  ; hymning ˈhi-miŋ 

transitive verb

: to praise or worship in or as if in hymns (see hymn entry 1)

the heroes who are hymned in this book

intransitive verb

: to sing a song that praises God : to sing a hymn

listening to the choir hymn

Synonyms

Noun

• anthem
• canticle
• carol
• chorale
• psalm
• spiritual

Verb

• bless
• carol
• celebrate
• emblazon
• exalt
• extol
• extoll
• glorify
• laud
• magnify
• praise
• resound

Examples of hymn in a Sentence

Noun

sing a hymn of praise

our Sunday church services always open with a hymn

Verb

during the honeymoon following the inauguration, newspaper articles seemed to hymn the president's every move

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dressed in a traditional kurta tunic, Modi led the consecration ceremony as Hindu priests chanted hymns and a 4.25-foot statue of Lord Ram was unveiled in the temple’s inner sanctum. —Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2024

Hanuman’s significance in Hinduism extends beyond hymns and celebrations to temples and murtis, or sacred depictions of Hindu deities. —Aaron Boorstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English ymne, from Old English ymen, from Latin hymnus song of praise, from Greek hymnos

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1667, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

hymn

noun

ˈhim

1

: a song of praise especially to God

2

: a religious song