bacchanal

1 of 2

noun

bac·​cha·​nal ˈba-kə-nᵊl  ˈbä-  ˌba-kə-ˈnal 

ˌbä-kə-ˈnäl

1

a

: orgy sense 2

b

: orgy sense 3

2

a

: a devotee of Bacchus

especially : one who celebrates the Bacchanalia

b

: reveler

bacchanal

2 of 2

adjective

bac·​cha·​nal ˈba-kə-nᵊl 

: of, relating to, or suggestive of the Bacchanalia : bacchanalian

Examples of bacchanal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Hosted at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, the bacchanal was long a Mediterranean corrolary to VF’s Oscar Party, where A-listers were less likely to talk business and more likely to jump in the pool fully clothed. —Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026

This story appears in Party Animals, Aidan McLaughlin’s weekly letter from the back rooms, barstools, and bacchanals of Washington, DC. —Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 26 Mar. 2026

Adjective

In Sunday's episode, those bacchanal fireworks explode. —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025

The feast played out in both reality and in a bacchanal dream sequence. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin, shrine of Bacchus, probably back-formation from Bacchanalia

First Known Use

Noun

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1550, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bacchanal

• uranyl
• anal