orgy

noun

or·​gy ˈȯr-jē 

plural orgies

1

: secret ceremonial rites held in honor of an ancient Greek or Roman deity and usually characterized by ecstatic singing and dancing

Roman orgies in honor of Bacchus

2

a

: drunken revelry

b

: a sexual encounter involving many people

also : an excessive sexual indulgence (see indulgence sense 1a)

3

: excessive indulgence (see indulgence sense 1a) in something especially to satisfy an inordinate appetite or craving

an orgy of destruction

a national orgy of thrill seeking and risk taking

—K. T. Greenfeld

Did you know?

Unsexy Orgies

Orgy is a word which for many immediately conjures salacious imagery and blushed cheeks. However, both the oldest and the most recently-adopted senses of this word contain meanings which may not be at all sexual in nature. The word first came into English in the middle of the 16th century in reference to secret ceremonial rites, particularly those of the Romans and ancient Greeks, which involved singing and dancing. The licentious meaning was not added until the beginning of the 18th century. And the most recent senses (“a riotous display” and “a manifestation of extreme indulgence”), which may describe such things as an assembly of garish colors or a spectacle of destruction, appear to date from the late 19th century.

Examples of orgy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Upon arriving at Dalí's studio, Cher realized that an orgy had just taken place. —Marina Watts, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024

There, Manson led sermons, orchestrated orgies and fostered a cult-like environment. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2024

In a June 10 article about the anti-Israel vandalism of the U.S. Consulate in Sydney, the Associated Press initially whitewashed a menacing symbol used to denote support for Hamas since the terror organization’s Oct. 7 orgy of murder, rape and countless other atrocities. —Tamar Sternthal, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2024

Yet the mass of people chooses lives of quiet or flamboyant desperation hoping to find meaning in orgies of hormonal gratifications. —Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 1 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French orgie, from Latin orgia, plural, from Greek; akin to Greek ergon work — more at work

First Known Use

circa 1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

orgy

noun

or·​gy ˈȯr-jē 

plural orgies

1

: secret ceremonies in honor of an ancient Greek or Roman god usually celebrated by wild singing and dancing

2

: something (as a party) that resembles an orgy in lack of control