Bacchanal
/ˈbæk.ə.næl/noun
A drunken or riotous celebration; also a reveler or participant in such a feast.
Did you know?The Roman Bacchanalia were so feared that the Senate tried to suppress them in 186 BCE, because ritual ecstasy wasn’t just party culture—it was considered a political threat.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
Βάκχος (Bákkhos)
“An ecstatic name/title of Dionysus, the god of wine and ritual frenzy.”
Classical Latin
Lat
Bacchānālis
“Relating to Bacchus; especially connected with his rites and festivals.”
Late Latin
Lat
bacchanāle
“A Bacchic feast or revel; a celebration marked by drunken ecstasy.”
Middle English
Eng
bacchanal
“A participant in or scene of drunken revelry.”
Modern English
Eng
bacchanal
“A wild, noisy, and drunken celebration or reveler.”