pean
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A formal expression of praise: A speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly.
- (Ancient Greece) A hymn of praise: Specifically, a song or chant of praise, especially one sung in ancient Greece to invoke or thank a deity.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The retiring professor was honored with a heartfelt pean from her colleagues.
- The poet composed a pean celebrating the nation's victory.
- In the ceremony, the priest sang a pean to Apollo, thanking the god for the harvest.
Advanced Usage
- As a literary or rhetorical device: A pean is often used in formal contexts, such as eulogies, award ceremonies, or dedicatory texts, to offer lavish commendation.
- The biography reads like a pean to the artist's creative genius, overlooking his personal flaws.
Variants and Related Words
- Paean: This is the standard and more common modern spelling of the word. "Pean" is a variant spelling.
- The documentary was a paean to the natural beauty of the coastline.
Synonyms
- Encomium: A formal expression of high praise.
- Eulogy: A speech or writing in praise of a person, typically someone who has just died.
- Panegyric: A public speech or published text in praise of someone or something.
- Tribute: An act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration.
- Hymn: A religious song of praise, which aligns with the word's ancient Greek origin.
Notes on Meaning
- The core meaning revolves around formal praise. While the ancient Greek context specifies a religious hymn, the modern usage is broader, applying to any elaborate tribute.
- It is important to distinguish a pean/paean (an expression of praise) from a paeon (a metrical foot in poetry consisting of one long syllable and three short syllables).
Noun
- a formal expression of praise
- (ancient Greece) a hymn of praise (especially one sung in ancient Greece to invoke or thank a deity)