revelry

/ˈrɛvəlri/

/ˈrɛvəlri/

Other forms: revelries

Revelry is a wild, fun time. If you enjoy the revelry of a New Year's Eve party, you might pay for partying hard the next day.

The noun revelry means merrymaking, but because it comes from the French word reveler meaning to rebel, its tone indicates carousing or noisy partying. It's not your grandparents' tame, sedate cocktail party: revelry is a full-throttle festive gathering, where people outwardly enjoy themselves. In fact, a wild party was once called a "revel," though you don't hear that term used much today.

Definitions of revelry

1. noun

   unrestrained merrymaking
   synonyms: revel

   types:

   binge, bout, bust, tear

   an occasion for excessive eating or drinking

   bender, booze-up, carousal, carouse, toot

   revelry in drinking; a merry drinking party

   bacchanal, bacchanalia, debauch, debauchery, drunken revelry, riot, saturnalia

   a wild gathering

   whoopee

   noisy and boisterous revelry

   piss-up

   vulgar expression for a bout of heavy drinking

   type of:

   conviviality, jollification, merrymaking

   a boisterous celebration; a merry festivity