Lupercalia

[ loo-per-key-lee-uh, ‐keyl-yuh ]

/ ˌlu pərˈkeɪ li ə, ‐ˈkeɪl yə /

a festival held in ancient Rome on the 15th of February to promote fertility and ward off disasters.

Example sentences from the Web for lupercalia

The Roman god of fertility; his festival day was 15th February, and the festivals were called Lupercalia.

1000 Mythological Characters Briefly Described |Edward S. Ellis
The final attempt was made at the Lupercalia on the 15th of February.

Stories of the Olden Time |Various
Mr. Douce thinks the custom of choosing valentines was a survival from the Roman feast of the Lupercalia.

Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems |Geoffrey Chaucer
The boys used to go through the streets, at the Lupercalia flogging themselves.

The Cloister and the Hearth |Charles Reade

The ritual of the Lupercalia is almost a solitary exception.

The Religious Experience of the Roman People |W. Warde Fowler

Lupercalia

/ (ˌluːpɜːˈkeɪlɪə) /

an ancient Roman festival of fertility, celebrated annually on Feb 15 See also Saint Valentine's Day

Lupercalian, adjective

Latin, from Lupercālis belonging to Lupercus, a Roman god of the flocks