Bacchanalia

[ bak-uh-ney-lee-uh, -neyl-yuh ]

/ ˌbæk əˈneɪ li ə, -ˈneɪl yə /

(sometimes used with a plural verb) a festival in honor of Bacchus. Compare Dionysia.

(lowercase) a drunken feast; orgy.

Origin of Bacchanalia

1625–35; < Latin equivalent to Bacch(us) + -ān(us) -an + -ālia, neuter plural of -ālis -al¹; probably modeled on volcānālia. See Saturnalia

bac·cha·na·li·an, adjective, noun bac·cha·na·li·an·ism, noun

bacchanalia

/ (ˌbækəˈneɪlɪə) /

(often capital) orgiastic rites associated with Bacchus

any drunken revelry