psalm

[ sahm ]

noun

1. a sacred song or hymn.
2. (initial capital letter) any of the songs, hymns, or prayers contained in the Book of Psalms.
3. a metric version or paraphrase of any of these.
4. a poem of a similar nature.

psalm

/ sɑːm /

noun

1. often capital any of the 150 sacred songs, lyric poems, and prayers that together constitute a book (Psalms) of the Old Testament
2. a musical setting of one of these poems
3. any sacred song or hymn

Derived Forms

• ˈpsalmic, adjective

Other Words From

• psalmic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of psalm¹

before 900; Middle English psalm ( e ), s ( e ) alm ( e ), psame, Old English ps ( e ) alm, sealm < Late Latin psalmus < Greek psalmós song sung to the harp, originally, a plucking, as of strings, akin to psállein to pluck, pull, play (the harp)

Word History and Origins

Origin of psalm¹

Old English, from Late Latin psalmus, from Greek psalmos song accompanied on the harp, from psallein to play (the harp)

Example Sentences

She tweeted on Thursday that her daughter Chicago, three, and her youngest child Psalm, two, also became sick.

From The Daily Beast

Read Psalm 137, the one that was turned into the catchy reggae song “Rivers of Babylon.”

From The Daily Beast

You can even find out what the first book printed in America was (The Bay Psalm Book).

From The Daily Beast

Another quoted Psalm 137 to speak of the Jews exiled in Babylon longing for Zion.

From The Daily Beast

"Le Dieu, le Fort, l'ternel parlera," was the first line of a favorite Huguenot psalm.

From Project Gutenberg

At times he thought to aggravate his victim's sufferings by singing snatches of favorite psalms from the Huguenot psalm-book.

From Project Gutenberg

But his fervor was all stage fire, and he would turn in an instant from a denunciatory Psalm to a humorous story.

From Project Gutenberg

His cries ceased; her thoughts went off into a dreamy psalm of thanksgiving as his soft mouth pulled at her breast.

From Project Gutenberg

According to this gentleman the Boers were a psalm-singing but hypocritical nation addicted to slave-driving.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hymn
• verse