hymn (English)

Where does "hymn" come from?

The English noun 'hymn', meaning a song of praise or worship, traces its lineage through Middle English 'ymne'[1] and Old English 'ymen'[1]. These forms were reinforced by Old French 'ymne'[1], drawing ultimately from Latin 'hymnus'[1] and Ancient Greek ὕμνος (húmnos)[1]. The Ancient Greek term itself may derive from the Proto-Indo-European root '*sh₂em-' meaning 'sing'[3][4][5], though its exact ultimate origins remain a matter of various scholarly theories[5].

Open questions

• The Ancient Greek term is of uncertain origin, with competing theories suggesting derivations from different Proto-Indo-European roots or connections to other lexical items. [5]

Full etymology tree

• hymn (English), 'A song of praise or worship, especially a religious one.'
  • inherited ymne (Middle English), 'hymn (a song of praise or worship)'
    • inherited ymen (Old English), 'hymn'
      • borrowed hymnus (Latin), 'hymn; a song of praise'
        • borrowed ὕμνος (húmnos) (Ancient Greek), 'song, hymn, ode (generally in praise of the gods or heroes)'
    • influenced by ymne (Old French), 'hymn (a song of praise or worship)'

Ancestors

• ymne (Middle English)
• ymen (Old English)
• ymne (Old French)
• hymnus (Latin)
• ὕμνος (Ancient Greek)

Descendants and derived words

• hymnal (English)
• hymnal (English)
• hymnboard (English)
• hymn book (English)
• hymn-book (English)
• hymnbook (English)
• hymnic (English)
• hymnical (English)
• hymnist (English)
• hymnless (English)
• hymnlike (English)
• hymnodist (English)

Related words

• psalm (English)

Sources

1. hymn (English) - Wiktionary
2. hymnus (Latin) - Wiktionary
3. ymne (Middle English) - Wiktionary
4. ymne (Old French) - Wiktionary
5. ὕμνος (húmnos) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
6. ymen (Old English) - Wiktionary

Updated October 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris