Dionysia

plural noun

Di·​o·​ny·​sia ˌdī-ə-ˈni-zhē-ə How to pronounce Dionysia (audio) -ˈnē- How to pronounce Dionysia (audio)
-shē-,
-zē-,
-sē-
: ancient Greek festival observances held in seasonal cycles in honor of Dionysus
especially : such observances marked by dramatic performances

Examples of Dionysia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Their plays premiered at the annual City Dionysia, a festival that was held on the slopes of the Acropolis each spring, drawing large audiences. Teju Cole, New York Times, 12 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Dionysia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek, from neuter plural of dionysios of Dionysus, from Dionysos

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Dionysia was in 1812

Dictionary Entries Near Dionysia

Cite this Entry

“Dionysia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dionysia. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Dionysia

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!