n. [ L. paean, Gr. paia`n, fr. Paia`n the physician of the gods, later, Apollo. Cf. Pæon, Peony. ] [ Written also pean. ] 1. An ancient Greek hymn in honor of Apollo as a healing deity, and, later, a song addressed to other deities. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any loud and joyous song; a song of triumph, joy, or praise. Dryden. “Public pæans of congratulation.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. See Pæon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Pedobaptism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. pai^s, paido`s, child + E. genesis. ] (Zool.) Reproduction by young or larval animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Producing young while in the immature or larval state; -- said of certain insects, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. paeon, Gr. paiw`n a solemn song, also, a pæon, equiv. to paia`n. See Pæan. ] (Anc. Poet.) A foot of four syllables, one long and three short, admitting of four combinations, according to the place of the long syllable. [ Written also, less correctly, pæan. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. A natural family of perennial rhizomatous herbs and shrubs, native to temperate Europe and North America.
Syn. -- family Paeoniaceae, peony family. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Chem.) An artifical red nitrogenous dyestuff, called also red coralline. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Any of numerous plants widely cultivated for their showy single or double red or pink or white flowers; the Peony. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]