Saturnalian
adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 One celebrates or takes part in Saturnalia. historical
"What masking, what mumming, what carding, what dicing, what gluttony, what drunkenneſs, what chambering, what wontonneſs, what turning nights into days, and days into nights! This Feaſt [i.e., Christmas] was occaſioned by thoſe most licentious Saturnalians, and they have indeed for many years become very like them, only worſe, and that not only by connivance of Authority; […]"
- 2 A merrymaker, a partygoer.
"There were always certain delicious cakes and other sweets as well, curious conventual dainties, of which master and pupil partook with an equal and sympathetic appetite. If, by any evil chance, M. le Directeur came near them at that moment, the sight of his rigid scornful young face brought much confusion upon these innocent saturnalians, but for the most part they were undisturbed."
- 3 Alternative letter-case form of saturnalian (“a merrymaker, a partygoer”). alt-of
"Christmas Eve, impatiently expected, was peeping over the brink of the hour. Millions had prepared for its celebration. Towns would be painted red. You, yourself, have heard the horns and dodged the capers of the Saturnalians."
- 1 Of or pertaining to Saturnalia. historical
- 2 Riotously merry; dissolute.
- 3 Alternative letter-case form of saturnalian (“riotously merry; dissolute”). alt-of
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"What masking, what mumming, what carding, what dicing, what gluttony, what drunkenneſs, what chambering, what wontonneſs, what turning nights into days, and days into nights! This Feaſt [i.e., Christmas] was occaſioned by thoſe most licentious Saturnalians, and they have indeed for many years become very like them, only worſe, and that not only by connivance of Authority; […]"
Etymology
From Saturnalia + -an.
From saturnalia + -an.
More for "saturnalian"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.