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Bacchanal

Pronounced /BAK-uh-nal/nounEveryday talk

Meaning

A word that covers any wild commotion: scandal, a fight, confusion, gossip, or a riotous good time. Carnival is bacchanal season, but a quarrel at a bus stop can be bacchanal too.

You hear the bacchanal that happen at the meeting last night?

In plain English: Did you hear about the drama at last night's meeting?

Where it comes from

English 'bacchanal', a drunken revel, after Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. Trinidadian usage has stretched it to cover any scandal or uproar.

Used in

Sources

  1. Discover Trinidad & Tobago: Lime & party in Trinidad like a local
  2. Traditional Mas Archive: Carnival terms
  3. Matador Network: Slang you should learn before visiting Trinidad and Tobago

Last verified 3 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Send a correction.