Saturnalia

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Saturnalia \Sat`ur*na"li*a\, n. pl. [L. See {Saturn}.]
     1. (Rom. Antiq.) The festival of Saturn, celebrated in
        December, originally during one day, but afterward during
        seven days, as a period of unrestrained license and
        merriment for all classes, extending even to the slaves.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. Hence: A period or occasion of general license, in which
        the passions or vices have riotous indulgence.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Saturnalia
       n 1: an orgiastic festival in ancient Rome in honor of Saturn
       2: a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and
          promiscuity [syn: {orgy}, {debauch}, {debauchery}, {riot},
           {bacchanal}, {bacchanalia}, {drunken revelry}]