(n. pl.) The festival of Saturn, celebrated in December, originally during one day, but afterward during seven days, as a period of unrestrained license and merriment for all classes, extending even to the slaves.
(n. pl.) Hence: A period or occasion of general license, in which the passions or vices have riotous indulgence.
Example Sentences:
(1) In another act of Christmas violence, unidentified arsonists tried to torch one of the Freedom from Religion Foundation's billboards that proclaimed "Keep Saturn in Saturnalia" – a reference to an ancient celebration of the Roman god of agriculture.
(2) Professor Israel Gutman , an Auschwitz survivor and prominent historian, recalls that "feasts and saturnalias were celebrated at kapos' and block elders' quarters.
Saturnalian
Definition:
(a.) Of or pertaining to the Saturnalia.
(a.) Of unrestrained and intemperate jollity; riotously merry; dissolute.