sadism

[ sey-diz-uhm, sad-iz- ]

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.
3. extreme cruelty.

sadism

/ ˈseɪdɪzəm; ˈsæ-; səˈdɪstɪk /

noun

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

sadism

1. 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.

Derived Forms

• ˈsadist, noun
• sadistic, adjective
• saˈdistically, adverb

Other Words From

• sadist noun adjective
• sa·dis·tic [s, uh, -, dis, -tik, sey-, sa-], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sadism¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sadism¹

C19: from French, named after the Marquis de Sade

Example Sentences

Speaking out about his portrayal of Maar, Picasso revealed, “For years I gave her a tortured appearance, not out of Sadism, and without any pleasure on my part, but in obedience to a vision that had imposed itself on me.”

From Time

When you research wars, for example, you find that most soldiers didn’t fight in the name of sadism or some kind of ideology—they just didn’t want to let their friends down.

From Outside Online

Dodson’s adventures in Don Draper-land are a welcome antidote to the all-too-vivid sadism of the serial killer loose in Coronado Springs.

From Washington Post

Julian Fellowes can save his show by offing the target of his sadism.

From The Daily Beast

Obama processes his sadism to the point where he gets somewhat more acceptable.

From The Daily Beast

The over-reaction, the lack of professionalism, the random sadism of this boggles the mind.

From The Daily Beast

But the existence of sadism is a part of the human condition that is both universal and universally hard to acknowledge.

From The Daily Beast

But we must confront our sadism to protect ourselves from it.

From The Daily Beast

Sadism, as we know, played a prominent part in both the French and Russian revolutions.

From Project Gutenberg

I suspect that under many of our professed principles there lurk elements of unconscious sadism and masochism.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus in a great many quite famous works of art there will be found an element of sadism.

From Project Gutenberg

Sadism is for a long time restrained by fear, education or moral sentiments.

From Project Gutenberg

Sadism appears to be most often an effect of hereditary alcoholic blastophthoria.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• malice