'bacchides' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'Bacchīdes', which comes from Greek 'Bakkhides' (plural) — the plural of 'Bakkhis', meaning 'female follower of Bacchus (Dionysus)'.

'Bakkhides' in Ancient Greek was adopted into Latin as 'Bacchīdes' and later entered English usage primarily through classical literature and translations (e.g., as the title of Plautus's play), yielding the modern English form 'bacchides'.

Initially, it meant 'female worshippers/devotees of Bacchus'; over time its use narrowed to literary, historical, or scholarly contexts (and as the title/name of classical works), rather than common everyday speech.