Definition

1. Noun:
   • A priest or worshipper of Bacchus: In classical mythology, a "bacchant" is a male priest or devoted follower of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, fertility, and revelry.
   • A drunken reveller; a devotee of Bacchus: More broadly, it refers to a person, especially a male, who engages in wild, drunken celebrations, embodying the spirit of Bacchic rites.
   • Someone who engages in drinking bouts: A person, typically male, who participates in heavy, excessive drinking sessions.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The ancient fresco depicted a bacchant dancing with a thyrsus in hand.
  • After the festival, the streets were filled with bacchants singing and carousing.
  • He was known in the village as a bacchant, always at the center of the longest drinking bouts.

Advanced Usage

• "Bacchant" as a literary or historical term: The word is often used in historical, mythological, or literary contexts to evoke imagery of ancient Roman or Greek rituals.
  • The poet described the scene as a bacchanal, with bacchants leading the ecstatic procession.

Variants and Related Words

• Bacchante (noun): The female equivalent; a priestess or female follower of Bacchus.
  • The bacchante wore a crown of ivy and carried a tambourine.
• Bacchic (adjective): Of or relating to Bacchus or his worship; characterized by drunken revelry.
  • The party had a distinctly bacchic atmosphere.
• Bacchanal (noun): A scene of drunken revelry; also refers to a follower of Bacchus or the festival itself.
  • The celebration turned into a wild bacchanal.

Synonyms

• Reveler: A person who is enjoying themselves in a lively and noisy way, especially with drinking and dancing.
• Carouser: A person who drinks alcohol and enjoys himself or herself with others in a noisy, lively way.
• Devotee: A person who is very interested in and enthusiastic about someone or something (in this context, the cult of Bacchus).

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "Bacchic frenzy": A state of wild excitement or ecstasy, akin to that experienced by the followers of Bacchus.
  • The music drove the crowd into a Bacchic frenzy.

Noun

1. (classical mythology) a priest or votary of Bacchus
2. a drunken reveller; a devotee of Bacchus
3. someone who engages in drinking bouts