Main Entry:

or·gy

Pronunciation:

\ˈȯr-jē\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural orgies

Etymology:

Middle French orgie, from Latin orgia, plural, from Greek; akin to Greek ergon work — more at work

Date:

circa 1561

1: secret ceremonial rites held in honor of an ancient Greek or Roman deity and usually characterized by ecstatic singing and dancing2 a: drunken revelry b: a sexual encounter involving many people ; also : an excessive sexual indulgence3: excessive indulgence in something especially to satisfy an inordinate appetite or craving <an orgy of destruction> <a national orgy of thrill seeking and risk taking — K. T. Greenfeld>