Hymnals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collection of religious songs or poems intended for use in worship, often including lyrics and music for congregational singing
2. Books or compilations featuring sacred verses set to music, primarily used in church services or spiritual gatherings
3. Publications that contain a selection of hymns designed for public or private devotion, facilitating musical worship practices

Etymology: "Hymnal" comes from Medieval Latin "hymnale," a noun formed from the neuter of "hymnalis," which means "of hymns." The Latin base is "hymnus," borrowed from Greek "hymnos," a song of praise. Middle English took the word as "hymnale," so the book sense is older in English than the adjective. Plural "hymnals" is simply the plural of "hymnal," so it names more than one such book. The plural form is the standard one in English.

Synonyms: songbooks, psalters, canticles, anthems, liturgies