n., pl., Bacchanalia.
- The ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus.
- bacchanalia A riotous, boisterous, or drunken festivity; a revel.
[Latin Bacchānālia, from Bacchus, Bacchus, from Greek Bakkhos.]
Bacchanalian Bac'cha·na'lian or bac'cha·na'lian adj. & n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
