: excessive indulgence (see indulgencesense 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
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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.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebCawthorn drew attention earlier this year for claiming his colleagues invited him to an orgy, sparking criticism from some GOP colleagues. Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 24 May 2022 Nasty language, an Eyes Wide Shut orgy, blood fountains of gore. Darren Franich, EW.com, 11 Aug. 2022 That’s because the show’s two big full-ensemble routines are a war and an orgy. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2022 Zeus, whom Crowe plays with the energy of a particularly horny Greek diner owner, is the most extreme example of indifference, presiding over a meeting of deities with an agenda that mostly focuses on who’s coming to the next orgy. David Sims, The Atlantic, 5 July 2022 In just an hour, showrunner Eric Kripke, episode writer Jessica Chou and director Nelson Cragg went balls to the wall by throwing The Boys and The Supes into the sticky situation of the 70th annual superhero orgy event Herogasm. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 26 June 2022 There’s an orgy going on in the backyard, boobs and penises being flashed.Harper’s Magazine , 22 June 2022 The footage gives a glimpse at sweeter moments, like Eichner’s love interest Luke Macfarlane, and raunchier moments, like a four-person orgy. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 27 Apr. 2022 Clapping as ideology, tier upon tier of it, an orgy of herd affirmation. James Parker, The Atlantic, 5 May 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle French orgie, from Latin orgia, plural, from Greek; akin to Greek ergon work — more at work