hymnos

Hymnos is a term meaning a song of praise or ritual song, derived from the Greek ὕμνος (hymnos). In English and many other languages, it is the historical root of the word hymn and is used to describe sacred songs in various religious traditions.

In ancient Greece, hymnos referred to a broad class of sung or chanted pieces performed at religious rites and festivals in honor of gods, heroes, or the Muses. The so‑called Homeric Hymns, dating from roughly the 7th to 4th centuries BCE, are a prominent collection dedicated to deities such as Apollo, Demeter, and Zeus. These works were often composed in regular metrical forms and accompanied by instrumental music, and they played a role in ritual, cult, and education.

With the spread of Christianity, the term was adopted into Latin and vernacular languages to designate songs of praise used in worship. Christian hymns range from early liturgical pieces to medieval sequences and carols, continuing into modern hymnody. They are typically collected in hymnals, follow metrical schemes, and may be sung to fixed tunes or widely taught melodies. The content of hymns commonly expresses doctrinal beliefs, devotion, or thanksgiving.

Hymns are distinguished from psalms in part by their origin and use: psalms are biblical poems attributed to biblical authors, often set within the biblical psalter, whereas hymns are devotional songs composed for liturgical or congregational use beyond the biblical texts. In contemporary usage, hymnody spans traditional congregational singing to contemporary worship songs, maintaining the core function of praise and proclamation.