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sadism
noun
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What is the Difference Between the Words masochism & sadism?
Masochism and sadism are both about the enjoyment of pain. Masochism refers to the enjoyment of experiencing pain while sadism refers to the enjoyment of inflicting pain on someone else.
Interestingly, both masochism and sadism are eponymous words. English has thousands of such words, taken from the names of people both real and fictional. Masochism comes from the name of the 19th century German novelist, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. It is unusual in that it began to be used during the lifetime of the man from whom it originated (Sacher-Masoch died in 1895, and masochism had been in printed use since 1892). Sadism comes from the name of the French writer, the Marquis de Sade (1740-1814).
The two words are not only often encountered in connection with one another, they have been combined into a single word, sadomasochism.
Synonyms
Examples of sadism in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sadism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
International Scientific Vocabulary, from Marquis de Sade
1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near sadism
Cite this Entry
“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sadism. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
sadism
nounMedical Definition
sadism
nounMore from Merriam-Webster on sadism
Nglish: Translation of sadism for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sadism
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