orgy

noun

or·gy | \ ˈȯr-jē

plural orgies

Definition of orgy

1 : secret ceremonial rites held in honor of an ancient Greek or Roman deity and usually characterized by ecstatic singing and dancing Roman orgies in honor of Bacchus

2a : drunken revelry

b : a sexual encounter involving many people also : an excessive sexual indulgence (see indulgence sense 4a)

3 : excessive indulgence (see indulgence sense 4a) 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

Unsexy Orgies More Example Sentences Learn More about orgy

Keep scrolling for more

Unsexy Orgies

Orgy is a word which for many immediately conjures salacious imagery and blushed cheeks. However, both the oldest and the most recently-adopted senses of this word contain meanings which may not be at all sexual in nature. The word first came into English in the middle of the 16th century in reference to secret ceremonial rites, particularly those of the Romans and ancient Greeks, which involved singing and dancing. The licentious meaning was not added until the beginning of the 18th century. And the most recent senses (“a riotous display” and “a manifestation of extreme indulgence”), which may describe such things as an assembly of garish colors or a spectacle of destruction, appear to date from the late 19th century.

Examples of orgy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The country once defined by its stiff upper lip has been indulging in a kind of orgy of public histrionics more commonly associated with Latin American telenovelas. — Gerard Baker, WSJ, "The Great Brexit Breakdown," 7 Dec. 2018 To think, only weeks ago, an orgy spun in those very same walls. — refinery29.com, "Billions Season 3, Episode 11 Recap: "Forward Momentum Above All Things"," 4 June 2018 Several victims told police that she was involved in orgies with Epstein and underage girls. — Julie K. Brown, The Seattle Times, "Perversion of Justice: Even from jail, sex abuser manipulated the system. His victims were kept in the dark," 4 Dec. 2018 The final scene of the movie is literally a ten minute orgy. — Rebecca Farley, refinery29.com, "Sense8 Series Finale Recap: Farewell, International Orgies!," 8 June 2018 It’s been designed as a fast-moving, euro-style game in which representatives of the various races compete to, well, found the city of Gloomhaven in an orgy of competitive town planning. — Tom Mendelsohn, Ars Technica, "Review: Founders of Gloomhaven groans beneath its own weight," 22 Sep. 2018 Photo: Marcelo Chello/Zuma Press Earlier this week, a video shared widely on social media showed a man resembling a leading gubernatorial candidate in São Paulo state naked in an orgy. — Deepa Seetharaman, WSJ, "In Brazil Vote, Misinformation Spreads on Social Media Despite Efforts to Stop It," 26 Oct. 2018 In Essex Street Market there used to be a pastry stall that had a model cake on display with an orgy on top: nude revelers barely concealed by a blanket of fondant. — John Hodgman, New York Times, "Judge John Hodgman on Birthday Cakes, Erotic and Otherwise," 12 Jan. 2018 The unimaginable happens when Cassius meets the company's cocaine-snorting, orgy-hosting chief executive, Steve Lift (Armie Hammer). — Tre'vell Anderson, latimes.com, "Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson aren't 'Sorry to Bother You' or the status quo," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'orgy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.