bacchae
|bac-chae|
/ˈbæk.iː/
(bacchant)
ecstatic female followers of Dionysus
Etymology
'bacchae' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'Bakkhai' (Βάκχαι), related to 'Bakkhos' (Βάκχος), a name associated with the god Dionysus (Bacchus).
'Bakkhai' (Ancient Greek) passed into Latin as 'Bacchae' (plural), and was taken into English in reference to the followers and to the title of the Greek play; the singular English form 'bacchant' comes via Latin/Medieval usage.
Initially it referred specifically to the female worshippers of Dionysus in Greek religion; in English it retained that meaning and also became used as the title/reference to Euripides' tragedy 'The Bacchae.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'bacchant': a female follower of the god Dionysus (Bacchus), often depicted taking part in ecstatic, frenzied rites.
The bacchae danced wildly around the altar during the night-long rites.
Synonyms
Noun 2
title/reference to the ancient Greek tragedy 'The Bacchae' by Euripides, which deals with the arrival of Dionysus and the consequences of denying his divinity.
In class we analyzed the themes of restraint and ecstasy in bacchae.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/24 12:14