bacchanal

American  

[bah-kuh-nahl, bak-uh-nal, bak-uh-nl, bak-uh-nl] / ˌbɑ kəˈnɑl, ˌbæk əˈnæl, ˈbæk ə nl, ˈbæk ə nl /

noun

1. a follower of Bacchus.

2. a drunken reveler.

3. an occasion of drunken revelry; orgy; bacchanalia.

   Synonyms:

   carousal, spree, debauch, saturnalia

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adjective

1. pertaining to Bacchus; bacchanalian.

bacchanal British  

/ ˈbækənəl /

noun

1. a follower of Bacchus

2. a drunken and riotous celebration

3. a participant in such a celebration; reveller

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adjective

1. of or relating to Bacchus

Etymology

Origin of bacchanal

1530–40; < Latin Bacchānāl, equivalent to Bacch ( us ) + -ānāl, probably as back formation from Bacchānālia; see Bacchanalia

Explanation

A bacchanal is a crazed party with drunken revelry, ecstatic sexual experimentation, and wild music. In a nutshell, it is "sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll." Bacchus was the Roman god of wine, which loosened the chains of social restraints; and so, the name of Bacchantes’ hedonistic, pleasure-filled gatherings were named bacchanals. Who might be a modern-day Bacchus? Elvis Presley had bacchanalian charisma. Now, this bit of trivia might impress your friends: the song we know as the Can-Can is titled "Bacchanale," from the opera Orpheus in the Underworld – that’s one hot steaming club jam going on down in Hades!