SATURNALIA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Saturnalia mean? 

• SATURNALIA (noun)
  The noun SATURNALIA has 2 senses:

1. an orgiastic festival in ancient Rome in honor of Saturn

2. a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity

  Familiarity information: SATURNALIA used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SATURNALIA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An orgiastic festival in ancient Rome in honor of Saturn

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("Saturnalia" is a kind of...):

festival; fete (an organized series of acts and performances (usually in one place))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

bacchanal; bacchanalia; debauch; debauchery; drunken revelry; orgy; riot; saturnalia

Hypernyms ("saturnalia" is a kind of...):

revel; revelry (unrestrained merrymaking)

 Context examples 

It was a saturnalia.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)