Etymology Dictionary

ANTHEM,  a piece of sacred music.  (L.,—Gk.)   In very early use.   M.E. antym; cf. 'antym, antiphona;' Prompt. Parv. p. 12.   Chaucer has antem, C. T. Group B, 1850.   Antem is a contraction from an older form antefn; 'biginneth these antefne' = begin this anthem, Ancren Riwle, p. 34.—A.S. antefn, an anthem; Ælfred's tr. of Beda, Eccl. Hist. i. 25.   This A.S. form is a mere corruption from the Latin.—Late Lat. antiphona, an anthem; see Ducange.   This is an ill-formed word, as the same word in Gk. is a plural.—Gk. ἀντίφωνα, pl. of ἀντίφωνον, an anthem; properly neut. of adj. ἀντίφωνος, sounding in response to; the anthem being named from its being sung by choristers alternately, half the choir on one side responding to the half on the other side.—Gk. ἀντί, over against; and φωνή, voice.   Anthem is a doublet of Antiphon, q.v.