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According to the poet Homer, the Greek god Apollo sometimes took the guise of Paean, physician to the gods. The earliest musical paeans were hymns of thanksgiving and praise that were dedicated to Apollo. They were sung at events ranging from boisterous festivals to public funerals, and they were the traditional marching songs of armies heading into battle. Over time, the word became generalized, and it is now used for any kind of tribute.
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Examples of paean in a Sentence
his retirement party featured many paeans for his long years of service to the company
Recent Examples on the Web
Cher: The Memoir is a paean to being in the spotlight, for all its downsides and difficulties.
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Alexander Larman, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 29 Nov. 2024
The aftermath of the Madison Square Garden comedy bit has already activated national voices such as Bad Bunny, who decided to republish his paean to Puerto Ricans.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2024
The interiors are a paean to nautical good taste, decked with antique oil portraits, brass chandeliers, and white wainscotting.
—Jo Rodgers, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
Not every movie that stars eating and food need be a dewy-eyed paean to pleasure.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 28 Oct. 2024
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Alexander Larman, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 29 Nov. 2024
The aftermath of the Madison Square Garden comedy bit has already activated national voices such as Bad Bunny, who decided to republish his paean to Puerto Ricans.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2024
The interiors are a paean to nautical good taste, decked with antique oil portraits, brass chandeliers, and white wainscotting.
—Jo Rodgers, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024
Not every movie that stars eating and food need be a dewy-eyed paean to pleasure.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paean
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Cite this Entry
“Paean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paean. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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paean
noun
pae·an
ˈpē-ən 
: a song of joy, praise, or triumph
a paean to youth
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