hymn
n. countablen. a religious song of praise, usually sung by a group of people in a church. It is often used to show respect or thanks to God.
n. a religious song or poem of praise, typically intended to be sung by a congregation during a Christian service. Often used metaphorically to describe any song or text that expresses fervent praise for a person or idea.
The congregation sang a traditional hymn during the morning service.
The choir practiced the new hymn for several weeks before the holiday ceremony to ensure the harmonies were perfect.
The poet’s latest work is less a collection of verses and more a secular hymn to the resilience of the human spirit in times of crisis.
From Middle English ymne, from Old English ymen (reinforced by Old French ymne), from Latin hymnus, borrowed from Ancient Greek ὕμνος (húmnos).
Commonly takes the preposition 'to' when expressing praise for a specific subject ('a hymn to nature').