Bacchus

American  

[bak-uhs] / ˈbæk əs /

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. the god of wine; Dionysus.

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Bacchus British  

/ ˈbækəs /

noun

1. (in ancient Greece and Rome) a god of wine and giver of ecstasy, identified with Dionysus

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Bacchus Cultural  

1. The Greek and Roman god of wine and revelry. He is also known by the Greek name Dionysus.

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In painting, Bacchus is often depicted eating a bunch of grapes and surrounded by satyrs.

A “bacchanalian” party or feast is marked by unrestrained drunkenness. The name recalls a Roman festival called Bacchanalia.

Etymology

Origin of Bacchus

< Latin < Greek Bákkhos

Example Sentences

These are two Europeans: Miriam, a deeply feeling, moody, beautiful Jewish-British painter with a mysterious past; and Donatello, an Italian Bacchus who closely resembles the ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles’ “Faun.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

She is defiant when she insists on competing in the Bacchus D’Or because she wants to leave a legacy.

From Salon • Oct. 11, 2024

The Bacchus stands on plinth on a street corner near the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge and is a modern replica of the 16th Century work by sculptor Giambologna.

From BBC • Jul. 17, 2024

He’d like to take on Strauss’ Apollo in “Daphne” and Bacchus in “Ariadne auf Naxos” one day.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2024

I waited for Martha in the lobby, which still has the original arched wooden entryway and the faces of Bacchus peering down from the ceiling.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann