Paean
/ˈpiː.ən/noun
A song of praise or triumph; in medicine, a hymn of thanksgiving.
Did you know?Paean comes from Greek Paian, an epithet and eventually a god of healing and deliverance, so the word’s deepest history is literally a ritual cry for rescue.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peh₂-
“to protect, guard, or ward off”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Παιών (Paiṓn)
“a healer or deliverer, later identified with a divine healer”
Ancient Greek
Greek
παιάν (paian)
“a hymn to Apollo or another god, especially for healing, thanks, or victory”
Latin
Latin
paean
“a hymn of praise or thanksgiving”
Middle English
English
paean
“a song of praise or triumph”
Modern English
English
paean
“a formal expression of praise or triumph”