anthem

Everyday

1. An anthem is a song that is special to a country or group, often sung at big events; a national anthem. tree →
2. An anthem is a religious song sung in church, often by a choir. tree →
3. An anthem can be a popular song that a lot of people love and sing together. tree →

In the lessons

In citizenship and music lessons, children learn their national anthem, like «God Save the King» in the UK, «The Star-Spangled Banner» in the USA, «O Canada», «Advance Australia Fair» and «God Defend New Zealand». People usually stand when the national anthem is played at sports matches and ceremonies. Phrases: «national anthem», «stand for the anthem».

Examples

• We stood up for the national anthem. tree →
• The team sang the anthem before the match. tree →
• «O Canada» is Canada's national anthem. tree →
• The choir sang an anthem in church. tree →
• Each country has its own anthem. tree →
• That song became an anthem for our school. tree →
• The band played the anthem at the ceremony. tree →
• Can you sing the first line of your national anthem? tree →

Note

Countable: an anthem (starts with a vowel, so «an»). Spelling: anthem with «th». A national anthem is different from a flag or motto, though all are national symbols.