One syllable: Hymn.
him
/hɪm/
Hymn is pronounced him (/hɪm/). It has one syllable (Hymn), with the stress on "Hymn". A hymn is a song or poem of praise, usually religious, traditionally sung in communal worship. It is typically concise, metrically regular, and designed to be sung aloud by a group. In broader use, hymns are any lyrical pieces that celebrate or invoke a higher power, often featuring refrains and a clear melodic structure.
nounA hymn is a song or poem of praise, usually religious, traditionally sung in communal worship. It is typically concise, metrically regular, and designed to be sung aloud by a group. In broader use, hymns are any lyrical pieces that celebrate or invoke a higher power, often featuring refrains and a clear melodic structure.
- You might articulate an extra sound after /m/—avoid adding an 'n' or 'nn' at the end; keep it clean with /m/. - A frequent error is lengthening the vowel to /iː/ as in 'him' or 'hymn' in softer accents; keep the vowel short and clipped, like /ɪ/. - Some learners flush the tongue toward the teeth and produce a glottal stop; maintain a gentle, continuous /h/ then straight into /ɪ/ and /m/ without a pause. Remember: the word is one syllable, with a light breath at the start.
How to Pronounce Hymn
"The choir led the congregation in a solemn hymn."
"She learned the old hymn by heart for the ceremony."
"The hymn of thanksgiving echoed through the chapel."
Hymn is pronounced as /hɪm/. The word has a single syllable with a short, lax vowel /ɪ/ as in 'hid' and a bilabial nasal /m/ ending. The initial /h/ is a breathy voiceless glottal fricative. There is no final /n/ sound; the word ends directly with /m/. In careful enunciation, avoid extending the vowel or adding an extra consonant sound after the /m/. IPA: US/UK/AU: /hɪm/.
Two common mistakes are adding a light /n/ after the /m/ (saying /hɪmn/) and pronouncing the vowel as a clear /iː/ as in 'he
Across accents, the initial /h/ remains, the vowel quality is generally /ɪ/ in US/UK/AU, and the ending is /m/. Some British speakers may have a slightly reduced vowel in rapid speech, making it sound closer to /hərm/ in casual rhythm, though this is non-standard. In non-rhotic accents, the /r/ is not present; rhotic nuance does not apply here as there is no /r/.
The challenge lies in a single syllable with a short /ɪ/ vowel, and ensuring the vowel is not lengthened by neighboring sounds. A common error is closing the mouth for a brighter vowel than /ɪ/ or adding a trailing /n/ sound. Focus on a clean, short vowel followed immediately by a bilabial /m/. IPA helps distinguish the compact vowel from similar words like 'him' with a different vowel quality.
Why does 'hymn' not rhyme with 'him' in standard English? The answer is that the vowel is the same /ɪ/ sound, but the letter 'y' in 'hymn' triggers a historical spelling convention that preserves the phonetics while keeping the orthography aligned with related words like 'hymn' vs. 'him'. The digital tools may show similar IPA, but the spelling influences perception and teaching cues.
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- US: /hɪm/ with a clear, short /ɪ/ and a straightforward /m/. Avoid adding any post-vocalic schwa. - UK: similar /hɪm/, but your vowel can be slightly reduced in rapid speech; keep it compact. - AU: often maintains the same /hɪm/, with non-rhotic features affecting surrounding speech but not this word; keep it clipped and forward in the mouth.
Hymn derives from Latin hymnus, from Greek hymnos, which denotes a song of praise. The term entered Latin in classical antiquity, borrowed from earlier Greek usage that described songs performed to the gods, often accompanied by instruments. In English, hymn has long carried religious charge, associated with church worship and congregational singing. In the Middle Ages, hymns became formalized into liturgical repertories, with composers and poets shaping the structure (meter, rhyme, stanzas) to aid memorization and collective singing. The word’s semantic focus on praise, prayer, and devotion persisted through Early Modern English and into modern usage, expanding to include secular ceremonial songs in some contexts, though the religious sense remains predominant. The pronunciation and orthography stabilized in the 16th–18th centuries as printing and standardization spread across English-speaking regions, reinforcing the connnection between the form of a hymn and its function as a communal musical liturgy.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Hymn" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Hymn" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Hymn" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Hymn"
-nt) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
