noun / adjective
bacchanal
bak-uh-NAL/bʌkˈeɪnʌl/
A wild celebration involving heavy drinking or uninhibited behavior.
The quiet gathering turns into a bacchanal that lasts until dawn.
Etymology
Latin bacchanalis meant “pertaining to Bacchus,” the god of wine and revelry. That association supplies the image behind a bacchanal: a celebration marked by riotous drinking.
More examples
- The painting depicts a noisy bacchanal in a wooded clearing.
- A bacchanal celebration followed the final performance.
- The memoir recounts several extravagant bacchanals.
Forms
bacchanal · bacchanals
Similar words
- revel
- Is a broader term for noisy, lively celebration.
- orgy
- Often specifically implies sexual activity beyond drunken celebration.