teratism

[ ter-uh-tiz-uhm ]

noun

1. love or worship of the monstrous.
2. Biology. a monstrosity.

teratism

/ ˈtɛrəˌtɪzəm /

noun

1. a malformed animal or human, esp in the fetal stage; monster

Word History and Origins

Origin of teratism¹

First recorded in 1900–05; terat- + -ism

Example Sentences

Pity it did not come through the church, which carries the stigma of spawning the macabre teratism we call penitentiaries.

From Time Magazine Archive