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

That includes threesomes, swingers parties, or orgies. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 22 Feb. 2025

The athletes will be congratulating each other — and often even themselves — in an orgy of antics, some qualifying as in your face and over the top. —Bob Brody, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2025

Small figures enjoying a lesbian orgy are embroidered onto the canvas, as if to remind viewers that when the outside world is hell, the body can offer private pleasure. —Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 28 Nov. 2024

The expectation was for an orgy of merchandise and fistfights over whatever happened to be left on the shelves. —Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 1 Aug. 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