paean

noun

pae·​an ˈpē-ən 

1

: a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph

unite their voices in a great paean to liberty

—Edward Sackville-West

2

: a work that praises or honors its subject : encomium, tribute

wrote a paean to the queen on her 50th birthday

Did you know?

According to the poet Homer, the Greek god Apollo sometimes took the guise of Paean, physician to the gods. The earliest musical paeans were hymns of thanksgiving and praise that were dedicated to Apollo. They were sung at events ranging from boisterous festivals to public funerals, and they were the traditional marching songs of armies heading into battle. Over time, the word became generalized, and it is now used for any kind of tribute.

Synonyms

• accolade
• citation
• commendation
• dithyramb
• encomium
• eulogium
• eulogy
• homage
• hymn
• panegyric
• salutation
• tribute

Examples of paean in a Sentence

his retirement party featured many paeans for his long years of service to the company

Recent Examples on the Web

Throughout the multiple stops, there were paeans to Biden’s roots in this town, where crowds lined the streets to cheer his motorcade. —Chris Megerian, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024

Garland’s paeans to objectivity sound noble in theory, but the photojournalist’s lens has never been entirely neutral. —Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, hymn of thanksgiving especially addressed to Apollo, from Greek paian, paiōn, from Paian, Paiōn, epithet of Apollo in the hymn

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

paean

noun

pae·​an ˈpē-ən 

: a song of joy, praise, or triumph

a paean to youth