Dictionary

Bacchanalian en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌbækəˈneɪli.ən/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English Bacchanalia Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Proto-Italic *-ānos Latin -ānus Old French -ainder. Middle English -an English -an English Bacchanalian From Bacchanalia + -an.

Meanings

1. (Greek, Roman, not-comparable) Of or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus, relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness.
   • Near-synonyms: bacchic, bacchian; Dionysiac, Dionysian; dionysiac, dionysian
   • Even Bacchanalian madness has its charms. 1782, William Cowper, The Progress of Error:
2. (broadly, not-comparable) Of or resembling wild or unrestrained revelry.
   • The dancing and shouting of the children around the fire had become even more bacchanalian. 1949, George R. Stewart, Part II, Chapter 6, in Earth Abides:

Forms

Synonyms

bacchic · dionysian · Dionysian · dionysiac · bacchian · Dionysiac

Translations (2)

nl bacchantisch (relating to the festival of Bacchus) · de bacchantisch (relating to the festival of Bacchus)

Bacchanalian en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌbækəˈneɪli.ən/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English Bacchanalia Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Proto-Italic *-ānos Latin -ānus Old French -ainder. Middle English -an English -an English Bacchanalian From Bacchanalia + -an.

Meanings

1. A bacchanal; a drunken reveler.
   • With the help of a sleepy waiter, Little Billee got the bacchanalian into his room and lit his candle for him, and, disengaging himself from his maudlin embraces, left him to wallow in solitude. 1894, George du Maurier, “Part Third”, in Trilby: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, page 165:

Forms

Translations (4)

de Bacchant (a drunken reveler) · pl bachant (a drunken reveler) · nl bacchant (a drunken reveler) · pl bachantka (a drunken reveler)