What does "saturnalia" mean?
Alternative letter-case form of saturnalia.
Saturnalia
/ˌsætəˈneɪli.ə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative letter-case form of saturnalia.
- Grammar: saturnalia is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: bacchanal, bacchanalia, banquet, blowout.
- Useful contrasts: hierarchical stability, penance, restraint.
- Usage evidence: This holiday was called Saturnalia among the Romans and was marked by great merriment and licence which extended even to the slaves.
How to use "saturnalia"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "saturnalia" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "saturnalia" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "saturnalia" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "saturnalia" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "saturnalia" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bacchanal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "saturnalia", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Alternative letter-case form of saturnalia. alt-of
"It was odd that the literary festival should be turned into a Donnybrook fair, but so it was when I was a boy, and the tents and the shows and the crowds on the Common were to the promiscuous many the essential parts of the great occasion. They had been so for generations, and it was only gradually that the Cambridge Saturnalia were replaced by the decencies and solemnities of the present sober anniversary."
- 2 A period or occasion of general license, in which the passions or vices have riotous indulgence; a period of unrestrained revelry.
"a man who mounts the Hustings, must not allow himself to be sore-boned, or he invites his opponents to 'touch him on the raw,' not in the exercise of their malice, but their power; an election is a saturnalia.""
- 3 a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity wordnet
- 4 an orgiastic festival in ancient Rome in honor of Saturn wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 An Ancient Roman holiday honoring the deity Saturn. historical
"Saturn was an ancient Italian deity. It was attempted to identify him with the Grecian god Cronos, and fabled that after his dethronement by Jupiter he fled to Italy, where he reigned during what was called the Golden Age. In memory of his beneficent dominion, the feast of Saturnalia was held every year in the winter season."
Example
"This holiday was called Saturnalia among the Romans and was marked by great merriment and licence which extended even to the slaves."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "saturnalia"?
Common synonyms include: bacchanal, bacchanalia, banquet, blowout, carnival, carousal.
How do you use "saturnalia" in a sentence?
This holiday was called Saturnalia among the Romans and was marked by great merriment and licence which extended even to the slaves.
How do you pronounce "saturnalia"?
Pronounced /ˌsætəˈneɪli.ə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Learned borrowing from Latin Sāturnālia.
Etymology 2
From Saturnalia (“a festival of the winter solstice”).