n. & v.
n. 1 a song of praise, esp. to God in Christian worship, usu. a metrical composition sung in a religious service. 2 a song of praise in honour of a god or other exalted being or thing.
v. 1 tr. praise or celebrate in hymns. 2 intr. sing hymns. hymn-book a book of hymns. hymnic adj.
[ ME ymne etc. f. OF ymne f. L hymnus f. Gk humnos ]