bacchanalian

B3A1C3C3H4A1N1A1L1I1A1N1
/ˌbækəˈneɪli.ən/

adjective

Of or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus, relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness.

“Near-synonyms: bacchic, bacchian; Dionysiac, Dionysian; dionysiac, dionysian”

RareScrabble 21

Meanings

bacchanalian1

adjectivebacchanalian (not comparable)
  1. not comparableAlternative letter-case form of Bacchanalian.

    Within three hours we'd drunk the place dry. Miraculously, we all made it back on the bus, but I've never seen a more bacchanalian scene of wanton debauchery than the ride back to the hotel.

    2015, Adam Jones, Bomb: My Autobiography
nounbacchanalian (plural bacchanalians)

plural bacchanalians

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Bacchanalian.

    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

Bacchanalian2

adjectiveBacchanalian (not comparable)

alternative bacchanalian

  1. GreekRomannot comparablehuman sciencesOf or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus, relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness.

    Near-synonyms: bacchic, bacchian; Dionysiac, Dionysian; dionysiac, dionysian

    1 more example

    Even Bacchanalian madness has its charms.

    1782, William Cowper, The Progress of Error

    Synonyms: bacchic, bacchian, Dionysiac, Dionysian, dionysiac, dionysian

  2. broadlynot comparableOf 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
nounBacchanalian (plural Bacchanalians)

plural Bacchanalians · alternative bacchanalian

  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

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus, relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness.

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveused of riotously drunken merrymaking

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Dutch bacchantisch, bacchant
  • bacchantischrelating to the festival of Bacchus
  • bacchanta drunken reveler
German bacchantisch, Bacchant
  • bacchantischrelating to the festival of Bacchus
  • Bacchanta drunken reveler
Polish bachant, bachantka
  • bachanta drunken reveler
  • bachantkaa drunken reveler
Cite this entry
APA

bacchanalian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacchanalian

MLA

“bacchanalian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacchanalian. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bacchanalian,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacchanalian.

Source: bacchanalian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.