Wikipedia's first sentence called it “song specifically written as a song of praise”. Today it says “type of song”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Type of song”. It now reads “Religious song for the purpose of adoration or prayer "”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
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The opening as it read in 2005
A writer of hymns is known as a hymnist or hymnodist , and the process of singing a hymn is called hymnody ; the same word is used for the collectivity of hymns belonging to a particular denomination or period (e.g. "nineteenth century Methodist hymnody" would mean the body of hymns written and/or used by Methodists in the nineteenth century). Books called hymnals are collections of hymns, which may or may not include music. Ancient hymns include the Great Hymn to the Aten , composed by the pharaoh Akhenaten , and the Vedas , a collection of hymns in the tradition of Hinduism . The Western tradition of hymnody begins with the Homeric Hymns , a collection of ancient Greek hymns, the oldest of which were written in the 7th century BCE in praise of the gods of Greek mythology .1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 15911348.
The opening as it stood in 2010 5 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
A hymn is a type of song , usually religious , specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer , and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification .The word hymn derives from Greek ( hymnos ), "a song of praise".Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymnbooks.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 370443540.
The opening as it stood in 2015
A hymn is a type of song , usually religious , specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer , and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification . The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος ( hymnos ), which means "a song of praise".The singing of hymns is called hymnody . Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymn books. Hymns may or may not include instrumental accompaniment.Although most familiar to speakers of English in the context of Christian churches, hymns are also a fixture of other world religions , especially on the Indian subcontinent.Hymns also survive from antiquity, especially from Egyptian and Greek cultures.Some of the oldest surviving examples of notated music are hymns with Greek texts.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 667855097.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Type of song This article is about the type of song.Arvid Liljelund [ de ; fi ; sv ] 's Man Singing Hymn (1884) A hymn is a type of song , usually religious , specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer , and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification . The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος ( hymnos ), which means "a song of praise". A writer of hymns is known as a hymnist .The singing or composition of hymns is called hymnody . Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymn books. Hymns may or may not include instrumental accompaniment. Although most familiar to speakers of English in the context of Christianity , hymns are also a fixture of other world religions , especially on the Indian subcontinent. Hymns also survive from antiquity, especially from Egyptian and Greek cultures. Some of the oldest surviving examples of notated music are hymns with Greek texts.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 963160477.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Religious song for the purpose of adoration or prayer This article is about the type of song. Arvid Liljelund [ de ; fi ; sv ] 's Man Singing Hymn (1884) A hymn is a type of song , and partially synonymous with devotional song , specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer , and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification . The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος ( hymnos ), which means "a song of praise". A writer of hymns is known as a hymnist . The singing or composition of hymns is called hymnody . Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymn books. Hymns may or may not include instrumental accompaniment. Although most familiar to speakers of English in the context of Christianity , hymns are also a fixture of other world religions , especially on the Indian subcontinent ( stotras ). Hymns also survive from antiquity, especially from Egyptian and Greek cultures. Some of the oldest surviving examples of notated music are hymns with Greek texts.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1178946941.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Religious song for the purpose of adoration or prayer "Hymns" and "hymnus" redirect here. Arvid Liljelund [ de ; fi ; sv ] 's Man Singing Hymn (1884) A hymn is a type of song , and partially synonymous with devotional song , specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer , and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification . The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος ( hymnos ), which means "a song of praise". A writer of hymns is known as a hymnist . The singing or composition of hymns is called hymnody . Collections of hymns are known as hymnals or hymn books. Hymns may or may not include instrumental accompaniment. Polyhymnia is the Greco/Roman goddess of hymns. Although most familiar to speakers of English in the context of Christianity , hymns are also a fixture of other world religions , especially on the Indian subcontinent ( stotras ). Hymns also survive from antiquity, especially from Egyptian and Greek cultures. Some of the oldest surviving examples of notated music are hymns with Greek texts. A Dictionary of Hinduism (1 ed.).A short praise poem or hymn in Sanskrit verse, usually intended to be sung.They are frequently excerpted or anthologized in Stotramāla.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1297892744. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “song specifically written as a song of praise”. Today it says “type of song”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “Type of song”. It now reads “Religious song for the purpose of adoration or prayer "”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
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2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
song specifically written as a song of praise
Now
type of song
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
