onanism

American

[oh-nuh-niz-uhm] / ˈoʊ nəˌnɪz əm /

noun

withdrawal of the penis in sexual intercourse so that ejaculation takes place outside the vagina; coitus interruptus.
masturbation.
the gratification or satisfaction of one's own needs or desires.

Choosing to endlessly split hairs about abstractions is little better than intellectual onanism.

onanism British

/ ˈəʊnəˌnɪzəm /

noun

another name for masturbation coitus interruptus

"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

Other Word Forms

onanist noun
onanistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of onanism

First recorded in 1720–30; after Onan, son of Judah (Genesis 38:9); see -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The term onanism is derived from the name of Onan, son of Juda and Suah and grandson of Israel.

From The Sexual Question A Scientific, psychological, hygienic and sociological study by Forel, Auguste

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023