sadism

noun sa·dism \ˈsā-ˌdi-zəm, ˈsa-\

: enjoyment that someone gets from being violent or cruel or from causing pain; especially : sexual enjoyment from hurting or punishing someone

Full Definition of SADISM

: a sexual perversion in which gratification is obtained by the infliction of physical or mental pain on others (as on a love object) — compare masochism

a : delight in cruelty

b : excessive cruelty

— sa·dist \ˈsā-dist, ˈsa-\ noun

— sa·dis·tic \sə-ˈdis-tik also sā- or sa-\ adjective

— sa·dis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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Origin of SADISM

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Marquis de Sade

First Known Use: 1888

Related to SADISM

Synonyms: atrociousness, atrocity, barbarity, barbarousness, brutality, cruelness, fiendishness, heartlessness, inhumanity, inhumanness, cruelty, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, wantonness

Antonyms: benignity, compassion, good-heartedness, humaneness, humanity, kindheartedness, kindness, sympathy, tenderheartedness

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with SADISM

abysm, ageism, autism, baalism, baptism, Birchism, bossism, bruxism, Buddhism, casteism, centrism, charism, Chartism, classism, cubism, cultism, czarism, deism, dwarfism, faddism, fauvism, Gaullism, Grecism, Hobbism, holism, Jainism, Klanism, leftism, lyrism, Mahdism, Maoism, Marxism, monism, mutism, Nazism, nudism, Orphism, priggism, purism, Ramism, rightism, Saivism, sapphism, Scotism, sexism, Shaktism, Shiism, Sikhism, simplism, snobbism, sophism, statism, Sufism, tachism, Tantrism, Taoism, theism, Thomism, tourism, tropism, truism, Turkism, verism, Whiggism, Yahwism

Medical Dictionary

sadism

noun sa·dism \ˈsā-ˌdiz-əm, ˈsad-ˌiz-\

Medical Definition of SADISM

: a sexual perversion in which gratification is obtained by the infliction of physical or mental pain on others (as on a love object)—compare algolagnia, masochism

—sa·dis·tic \sə-ˈdis-tik also sā- or sa-\ adjective

—sa·dis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Biographical Note for SADISM

Sade \sȧd\ , Marquis de (Comte Donatien–Alphonse–François) (1740–1814), French soldier and writer. From the time that he was a young nobleman Sade consorted with prostitutes and developed a taste for sexual perversions. He was imprisoned on several occasions for his harsh abuse of prostitutes and gross licentiousness. After arriving at the Bastille in 1784 he began writing erotic novels in which he gave full expression to his sexual fantasies. His most famous novel was The Adversities of Virtue (1787). His works are known for their graphic descriptions of sexual perversions. His last years were spent in an insane asylum at Charenton, where he wrote plays for his fellow inmates to perform. His compulsion for physically and sexually abusing others gave rise to the concept of sadism.

Learn More About SADISM

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "sadism"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "sadism"

Nglish: Translation of "sadism" for Spanish speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about "sadism"

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