anthem
n. countablen. a song that is very important to a specific group of people or a country. It often makes people feel proud or united when they hear it.
n. a song of praise, devotion, or patriotism, often adopted by a nation or social group as a symbol of identity. In modern informal usage, it refers to a popular song that defines a particular generation or subculture.
The crowd sang the national anthem before the game started.
That dance track became a summer anthem for teenagers across the country during the late nineties.
While the official anthem serves a ceremonial purpose, the unofficial folk songs of the region often carry a deeper emotional resonance for the local population.
From Middle English anteme, from Old English antefn, antefen and Old French antiene, anteine, anteivne, from Latin antiphōna, from Ancient Greek ἀντίφωνα (antíphōna), from ἀντί (antí, “over against”) + φωνή (phōnḗ, “voice, sound”). Doublet of antiphon.
Commonly modified by 'national', 'sporting', or 'cultural' to specify the group it represents.