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self-mutilation

British  

noun

  1. the act or an instance of mutilating oneself

"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

Example Sentences

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Monkeys kept as pets and made to perform tricks suffer from psychological trauma that manifests in extreme aggression, repetitive movements, and self-mutilation, as well as physical damage that may be irreversible, she says.

From National Geographic Nov. 9, 2023

In some cases anxious dogs may tremble, whine or pace around, as well as excessive salivation, self-mutilation, repetitive behaviour and vomiting.

From BBC Oct. 5, 2021

Stimulating the globus pallidus has eased self-mutilation traits in individuals with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, for example.

From Science Magazine Sep. 14, 2018

“The Mermaid” is no ordinary fantastical rom-com though, encompassing as it does weaponized sea urchins, incredibly delicious roasted chickens, man-octopus self-mutilation and other comic oddities.

From New York Times Feb. 19, 2016

Such customs repose on various superstitions; for example, the self-mutilation of the Galli or priests of Cybele was probably a magical ceremony intended to fertilize the soil and stimulate the crops.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 7 "Arundel, Thomas" to "Athens" by Various

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