Peans

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpiːnz/

Definitions

1. A joyful song or hymn of praise, particularly in celebration or thanksgiving
2. A shout of triumph or a fervent expression of joy often directed towards a deity or in a communal setting
3. An expression of exuberance and gratitude that conveys a deep sense of joy and admiration

Etymology: "Peans" is the plural of "pean," which comes from Middle French "penne," meaning "feather," itself from Latin "penna," the same root that gives English "pen" and "penna." The "pean" in question is a different sense, though, so the connection to feathers is a matter of shared ancestry rather than of meaning. Words descended from the same Latin source can split apart over centuries, and this pair is a doublet: two forms of one root that entered English by different routes. Whatever feather sense the word once carried, the modern noun "pean" describes an outburst of joyful praise and thanks. Because the English word is a sibling of "pen" rather than a descendant of its meaning, the plural "peans" simply follows the ordinary English pattern for nouns ending in a sound that takes "-s."

Synonyms: songs, hymns