paean

American  

[pee-uhn] / ˈpi ən /

Or pean

noun

1. a song of praise, joy, or triumph.

2. a formal expression of high praise, as a poem, movie, or monument.

   This documentary is another paean to the mystical power and beauty of the ocean.

3. an elaborate or excessive expression of praise; panegyric.

   His restaurant review is just a long and not very interesting paean to his favorite ethnic cuisine.

4. a hymn of invocation or thanksgiving to Apollo or some other ancient Greek deity.

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paean British  

/ ˈpiːən /

noun

1. a hymn sung in ancient Greece in invocation of or thanksgiving to a deity

2. any song of praise

3. enthusiastic praise

   the film received a paean from the critics

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Other Word Forms

• paeanism noun

Etymology

Origin of paean

First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin Paeān, Paeōn “a Greek god, especially Apollo in his capacity as healer; a religious or festive hymn, addressed to Apollo or another god,” from Greek Paiā́n, Paiḗōn, Paiṓn “choral song, hymn, especially to Apollo,” personified as “the divine physician, Apollo”

Example Sentences

But as admiring as “Cover-Up” may be about Seymour Hersh, it is hardly a paean to American mass media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025

“All’s Fair” is a paean to the classic Hollywood movies Murphy adores, with its most direct spiritual influence being the 1939 adaptation of “The Women.”

From Salon • Nov. 6, 2025

Merchan then cited Chief Justice John Roberts’ recent paean to the sanctity of judicial independence.

From Slate • Jan. 3, 2025

He zigzags gracefully from the reggae love paean “Manifestación de Amor,” with boricua band Gomba Jahbari, to the bossa tinged “Besos de Invierno.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2024

Then did they link arms, as they sat victorious, and forget the sorrows of a term in that one paean of victory.

From Follow My leader The Boys of Templeton by Stacey, W. S. (Walter S.)

Related Words

• hymn