# dithyramb

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɪθ.ɪ.ɹæm/

## Definitions
1. A raucous and ardent choral hymn sung in ancient Athens in honor of the god Dionysus.
2. A poem or oration in the same style.
3. An impassioned speech; a rant.

## Etymology
From Latin dithyrambus, from Ancient Greek δῑθύραμβος (dīthúrambos). According to the American Heritage Dictionary, it is of non-Indo-European origin (Pre-Greek substrate, Illyrian/Phrygian), related to θρίαμβος and ἴαμβος. Brandenstein also compares Sanskrit अङ्ग (aṅga, “member”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dithyramb