hymnal

noun

hym·​nal ˈhim-nəl How to pronounce hymnal (audio)
Synonyms of hymnalnext
: a collection of church hymns

Examples of hymnal in a Sentence

hymnals are distributed among the congregation before the church service so everyone can join in the singing
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Onstage, musicians scroll through New Age worship lyrics on iPhones propped on tripods, where hymnals once might have been. Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026 The Shaker hymnal, in the hands of the composer Daniel Blumberg, becomes a maddeningly infectious soundtrack. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2026 Some objects come with a bit of mystery, like this hymnal cover. Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2025 To illustrate his point, Mogomo held up a copy of a hymnal in Shona, a local language spoken in many parts of Zimbabwe, drew inspiration from an English hymnal but is retrofitted to contain more culturally meaningful liturgy. Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hymnal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hymnale, from Medieval Latin, from Latin hymnus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hymnal was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hymnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hymnal. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

hymnal

noun
hym·​nal ˈhim-nəl How to pronounce hymnal (audio)
: a book of hymns

More from Merriam-Webster on hymnal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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