Word
hymn
US/ˈhɪm/
UK/hˈɪm/
Definitions
01religious song
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Religion
n. a religious song that people sing together in a church to praise God.
n. a religious song of praise or thanksgiving, typically intended for congregational singing during a Christian worship service.
“The congregation stood up to sing a traditional hymn at the start of the service.”
“The choir led the congregation in a powerful rendition of a nineteenth-century hymn, their voices echoing through the cathedral's vaulted ceiling.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'sing', 'compose', or 'perform'.
02song of praise
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a song, poem, or piece of writing that praises someone or something very strongly.
n. a formal expression of praise or a celebratory tribute to a person, idea, or event.
“The film is a beautiful hymn to the simple life of the countryside.”
“The poet's final collection was a moving hymn to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.”
03to praise in song
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Archaic
v. to praise or celebrate something in a song or poem.
v. to celebrate or extol a subject through the medium of a hymn or similar formal tribute.
“The ancient poets would hymn the brave deeds of their kings.”
“In his epic verse, he sought to hymn the natural beauty of the rugged coastline that had inspired his youth.”
Usage
Can be used transitively with a direct object or intransitively.
Real-World Examples
“Rather than an island separated by difference then, A Chorus of Strangers offers a hymn to possibility.” “One was tawdry, the other couldn’t be sweeter, as the prop-comic delivers this hymn to the canine-human relationship.” Etymology
From Middle English ymne, from Old English ymen (reinforced by Old French ymne), from Latin hymnus, borrowed from Ancient Greek ὕμνος (húmnos).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/hymn