1. Female followers or priestesses of Bacchus (the Roman god of wine); women who participated in Bacchic festivals and rituals.
Usage: plural form; often capitalized when referring to the mythological figures; classical/historical context
2. Women engaged in wild, drunken revelry or celebration.
Usage: plural form; often used figuratively or in literary contexts

Examples

• In ancient Rome, the bacchantes danced through the streets during festivals honoring Bacchus.
• The play depicts bacchantes tearing through the forest in ecstatic frenzy.
• The painting shows a group of bacchantes crowned with ivy and grapes.
• During the carnival, the bacchantes celebrated with wine and music late into the night.
• Classical literature often portrays bacchantes as wild and untamed figures.
• The bacchantes in the myth were said to possess supernatural strength and divine inspiration.