sadism

[ sey-diz-uhm, sad-iz- ]
See synonyms for: sadismsadisticsadist on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. Psychiatry. the condition in which sexual gratification depends on causing pain or degradation to others.: Compare masochism.

  2. any enjoyment in being cruel.

  1. extreme cruelty.

Origin of sadism

1
First recorded in 1885–90; from French sadisme; see Sade, -ism

Other words from sadism

  • sadist, noun, adjective
  • sa·dis·tic [suh-dis-tik, sey-, sa-], /səˈdɪs tɪk, seɪ-, sæ-/, adjective

Words Nearby sadism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sadism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sadism

sadism

/ (ˈseɪdɪzəm, ˈsæ-) /


noun
  1. the gaining of pleasure or sexual gratification from the infliction of pain and mental suffering on another person: See also algolagnia Compare masochism

Origin of sadism

1
C19: from French, named after the Marquis de Sade

Derived forms of sadism

  • sadist, noun
  • sadistic (səˈdɪstɪk), adjective
  • sadistically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for sadism

sadism

[ (say-diz-uhm, sad-iz-uhm) ]


Abnormal behavior characterized by deriving sexual gratification from inflicting pain on others. More loosely, sadism refers to deriving any pleasure from inflicting pain. Named after the Marquis de Sade, a French author of the eighteenth century, whose works describe many sexual perversities.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.