hymn

1 of 2

noun

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 wineJohn Dryden
3
: something resembling a song of praise : paean
The novel is a hymn to childhood and innocence.
hymnlike adjective

hymn

2 of 2

verb

hymned ˈhimd How to pronounce hymn (audio) ; hymning ˈhi-miŋ How to pronounce hymn (audio)

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

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
The cast members descend the aisles lit by candlelight, singing a mesmerizing hymn that unites the people who will soon fill the town. Shania Russell, EW.com, 11 Oct. 2024 Devotees then perform special prayers and chant hymns as part of the rituals seeking his blessings. Lex Harvey, CNN, 18 Sep. 2024
Verb
Holst leaves the listener in the far removes of outer space, with Neptune being a study in musical mysticism, highlighted by a hidden hymning women’s chorus, as if heard from a mysterious distance. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023 His own work reflects a lifelong love of reading in many genres, and his books brim with the testimonies of poets, artists, and mystics who hymn the delights of sentience. Nick Romeo, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for hymn 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hymn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hymn was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hymn

Cite this Entry

“Hymn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hymn. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

hymn

noun
ˈhim
1
: a song of praise especially to God
2
: a religious song

More from Merriam-Webster on hymn

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