hymnody

English

WOTD – 18 December 2007

Etymology

From Old French hymnodie, from Latin hymnodia, from Ancient Greek ὑμνῳδία (humnōidía), from ὑμνῳδέω (humnōidéō, “I sing a hymn”), from ὕμνος (húmnos, “song of praise”) + ἀείδω (aeídō, “I sing”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /ˈhɪm.nə.di/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

hymnody (countable and uncountable, plural hymnodies)

1. (uncountable) The writing, composing, or singing of hymns or psalms.
   • 1721, Thomas Ken, edited by J. Wyat, The Works of the Right Reverend, Learned and Pious, Thomas Ken, D.D.‎^[1], volume IV, Vrania: or, the Spouſe's Garden, page 448:

     Primeval Worſhip, Lord, retrieve, / For whoſe Decays the Faithful grieve, / For as thy Temple-Off'rings fall or riſe, / Hymnody chills or fires, Religion lives or dies.

2. (countable) The hymns of a particular church or of a particular time.
   • 1718, William Gordon, edited by J. Bettenham, An Apology for the Use of the English Liturgy and Worship‎^[2], page 56:

     Therefore do we recite this Seraphick Theology delivered to us, that in that cæleſtial Hymnody we may communicate with the Heavenly Hoſt …

Related terms

• hymn
• hymnal
• hymnally
• hymnary
• hymnbook
• hymnic
• hymnical
• hymnically
• hymnodic
• hymnodical
• hymnodist
• hymnologic
• hymnological
• hymnologically
• hymnologist
• hymnology

 

Translations

writing, composing, or singing of hymns or psalms

• Finnish: virsien kirjoittaminen (writing); virsien säveltäminen (composing); virrenveisuu (singing)

hymns of a particular church or of a particular time

• Finnish: virsikokoelma; virsikirja (fi)