hymnal

noun

hym·​nal ˈhim-nəl How to pronounce hymnal (audio)
Synonyms of hymnalnext
: a collection of church hymns

Examples of hymnal in a Sentence

hymnals are distributed among the congregation before the church service so everyone can join in the singing
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Similar cases include 3M’s accidental invention of Post-it Notes (first used as ad hoc bookmarks for hymnals); Shopify’s pivot from selling snowboards to enabling e-commerce infrastructure; and Instagram’s shift from a cluttered check-in app to a focused photo-sharing platform. Kumar Rakesh Ranjan, The Conversation, 27 Apr. 2026 Onstage, musicians scroll through New Age worship lyrics on iPhones propped on tripods, where hymnals once might have been. Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026 The Shaker hymnal, in the hands of the composer Daniel Blumberg, becomes a maddeningly infectious soundtrack. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2026 Some objects come with a bit of mystery, like this hymnal cover. Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hymnal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hymnale, from Medieval Latin, from Latin hymnus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hymnal was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hymnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hymnal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

hymnal

noun
hym·​nal ˈhim-nəl How to pronounce hymnal (audio)
: a book of hymns

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