bacchanalia

noun

bac·​cha·​na·​lia ˌba-kə-ˈnāl-yə How to pronounce bacchanalia (audio)
ˌbä-
plural bacchanalia
1
Bacchanalia plural : a Roman festival of Bacchus celebrated with dancing, song, and revelry
2
bacchanalian adjective or noun

Examples of bacchanalia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Branded events at Cannes, Martha’s Vineyard and Sundance have replaced Puff’s bacchanalias, and Michael Rubin’s annual Hamptons White Party is now the place to see and be seen. Amy Dubois Barnett, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Oct. 2024 Unlike recent eat-the-rich offerings, Blink Twice is only partially about ultra-wealthy bacchanalia. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Aug. 2024 That interpretation was common to many viewers, but the artistic director of the ceremony later said the tableau was meant to depict a Greek bacchanalia, and was not staged as a mockery of Christ’s final meal. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 July 2024 The internal records obtained by AP show the DEA disciplined or ousted at least a dozen other agents for either participating in the bacchanalia or failing to sound the alarms about it. CBS News, 25 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for bacchanalia 

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Bacchus

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bacchanalia was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near bacchanalia

Cite this Entry

“Bacchanalia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bacchanalia. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

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