fescennine

American  

[fes-uh-nahyn, -nin] / ˈfɛs əˌnaɪn, -nɪn /

adjective

1. scurrilous; licentious; obscene.

   fescennine mockery.

---

Fescennine British  

/ ˈfɛsɪˌnaɪn /

adjective

1. rare scurrilous or obscene

---

Etymology

Origin of fescennine

1595–1605; < Latin Fescennīnus of, belonging to Fescennia, a town in Etruria noted for jesting and scurrilous verse; -ine ¹

Example Sentences

And these 'Saturae' had been themselves developed partly out of the older Fescennine dialogues—the rustic raillery of the vintage and the harvest-home,—partly out of mimetic dances imported from Etruria.

From Project Gutenberg

Another class of metrical compositions, of native origin, but of a totally opposite character, was known by the name of the 'Fescennine verses.'

From Project Gutenberg

The original Fescennine verse appears, from the testimony of Horace, to have been in metrical dialogue.

From Project Gutenberg

The Fescennine raillery long retained traces of this original character.

From Project Gutenberg

But the original satura, which also was familiar to the Romans before they became acquainted with Greek literature, was somewhat different both from the Fescennine verses, and from the lampoons which arose out of them.

From Project Gutenberg