noun
- Plural of bacchant; followers or priestesses of Bacchus (the Roman god of wine); revelers engaged in wild, drunken celebration.
Usage: Often capitalized when referring to the mythological followers of Bacchus.; Can be used figuratively to describe any group of wild, intoxicated celebrants.
Examples
- The bacchants danced through the streets in a frenzy of celebration.
- In ancient Rome, the bacchants honored Bacchus with wine and festive rituals.
- The painting depicted bacchants adorned with grape vines and ivy.
- The carnival attracted bacchants from across the city.
- Euripides' play 'The Bacchae' dramatizes the conflict between the bacchants and King Pentheus.