(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.
Saturnian
Definition:
(a.) Of or pertaining to Saturn, whose age or reign, from the mildness and wisdom of his government, is called the golden age.
(a.) Hence: Resembling the golden age; distinguished for peacefulness, happiness, contentment.
(a.) Of or pertaining to the planet Saturn; as, the Saturnian year.
(n.) Any one of numerous species of large handsome moths belonging to Saturnia and allied genera. The luna moth, polyphemus, and promethea, are examples. They belong to the Silkworn family, and some are raised for their silk. See Polyphemus.
Example Sentences:
(1) As Cassini sped past the Saturnian moon, researchers used Nasa's Deep Space Network of giant antennas to monitor signals reaching Earth from the spacecraft's onboard radio.
(2) The species belonging to the genera Cryptococcus and Hansenula with saturnian spores predominate in the rhizosphere of agricultural plants.