orgy
/ˈɔːdʒi
/noun (plural orgies)
1A wild party characterized by excessive drinking and indiscriminate sexual activity: he had a reputation for drunken orgies...
- He said people would walk up to random groups having wild orgies, and join in.
- If you're out of the relationship circle, he can have wild orgies and you don't have much ground to stand on.
- Most of Jack's team gets whacked during a drunken orgy in a sleazy hotel.
Synonyms
wild party, debauch, carousal, carouse, revel, revelry, bacchanalia, bacchanal, saturnalia, Dionysiacs;
Scottish skite
informal binge, jag, booze-up, bender, spree, drunk, love-in, gang bang
British informal rave-up
North American informal toot
archaic wassail
1.1An instance of excessive indulgence in a specified activity: an orgy of buying...
- Those responsible went on an orgy of destruction smashing windows and electrical equipment.
- We indulged in an orgy of girly-style excess including spas, shopping, shows and casinos.
- We're not going to dwell, we're not going to indulge in an orgy of introspection and outpourings of grief.
Synonyms
bout, excess, surfeit, overindulgence, overconsumption
informal spree, splurge, binge
2 (orgies) historical Secret rites used in the worship of Bacchus, Dionysus, and other Greek and Roman deities, celebrated with dancing, drunkenness, and singing: Bacchic orgies...
- Reacting against Bacchanalian rites and orgies, they aimed at purifying the soul.
- The murals, not badly done, depicted Bacchanalian orgies from various eras of history.
- The Greeks and Roman orgies are discussed along with the more common, discreet exchange of marital partners.
Origin
Early 16th century: originally plural, from French orgies, via Latin from Greek orgia 'secret rites or revels'.
The word orgy goes back to Greek orgia ‘secret rites or revels’. In the classical world these were part of the worship of Bacchus, the god of fertility and wine, in the annual festivals held in his honour, which were celebrated with extravagant dancing, singing, and drinking.