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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.
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
The Secret Life of a Cemetery is a paean to the renowned Parisian cemetery, Père Lachaise.
—
Heller McAlpin, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025
Nigel Slater’s paean to the likes of St. John and the River Café, places that still hold sway today.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
The former, an album highlight, could somehow soundtrack both a wedding and a breakup; a paean to immortal love or the audio to that which was once cherished and now gone.
—Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
Winter / Getty Images 4d ago / 7:37 PM PST
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Sean Baker makes a paean to the theatrical experience
Daniel Arkin
In a moment that is likely to thrill cinephiles all over the world, Sean Baker used part of his best director speech to extol the virtues of seeing movies in actual movie theaters.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paean
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Heller McAlpin, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025
Nigel Slater’s paean to the likes of St. John and the River Café, places that still hold sway today.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
The former, an album highlight, could somehow soundtrack both a wedding and a breakup; a paean to immortal love or the audio to that which was once cherished and now gone.
—Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
Winter / Getty Images 4d ago / 7:37 PM PST
Share
Sean Baker makes a paean to the theatrical experience
Daniel Arkin
In a moment that is likely to thrill cinephiles all over the world, Sean Baker used part of his best director speech to extol the virtues of seeing movies in actual movie theaters.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paean
Cite this Entry
“Paean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paean. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
paean
noun
pae·an
ˈpē-ən 
: a song of joy, praise, or triumph
a paean to youth
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