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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

It is the most famous act of self-mutilation in the history of art, but the exact motivation – love?

From The Guardian Oct. 30, 2016

With the advent of Christianity, condemning as it did the barbarous customs of self-mutilation and self-murder, these practices seem to disappear gradually; but stoicism and indifference to pain were exhibited in martyrdom.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)

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