sodomy

American  

[sod-uh-mee] / ˈsɒd ə mi /

noun

1. anal sex, especially between men.

2. Law. any sexual contact other than heterosexual vaginal intercourse.

3. any sexual contact that is stigmatized as unnatural or immoral.

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adjective

1. Law. of or relating to any sexual contact other than heterosexual vaginal intercourse.

sodomy British  

/ ˈsɒdəmɪ /

noun

1. anal intercourse committed by a man with another man or a woman Compare buggery

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sodomy Cultural  

1. Sexual intercourse that is not the union of the genital organs of a man and a woman. The term is most frequently applied to anal intercourse between two men or to sexual relations between people and animals. (See pederast.)

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Discover More

According to the Bible (see also Bible), God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for unacceptable sexual practices, apparently including anal intercourse between men. Sodomy takes its name from the city of Sodom.

Many governments have laws against sodomy. These laws are difficult to enforce, however, and many people believe they violate personal privacy.

Other Word Forms

• sodomitic adjective
• sodomitical adjective
• sodomitically adverb

Etymology

Origin of sodomy

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sodomie, from Old French; Sodom, -y ³

Explanation

Sodomy is a term for anal sex: the kind of sex where a penis goes into an anus. Sodomy is a term for anal sex that is not neutral: it implies a point of view. Most often, sodomy is mentioned in religious and legal contexts, which have at various times insisted that anal sex is either a sin or illegal. Usually, someone with a positive view of anal sex won't call it sodomy. A medical term for sodomy is anal intercourse; a slang term is buggery.

Example Sentences

Anwar was later jailed for corruption and sodomy, charges he said were concocted to kill his political career.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 29, 2024

The case in Mauritius was brought by Abdool Ridwan Firaas Ah Seek, who argued that the "offence of sodomy" breached his basic rights, including the right to liberty.

From BBC • Oct. 5, 2023

In support, the local New York branch of the Mattachine Society, a pioneering gay civil rights organization founded in L.A. by Harry Hay in 1950, compiled a comprehensive list of state penalties for sodomy.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2023

Other states decided that the legal system was moving toward preserving the right to privacy and repealed sodomy laws to reflect that, like Illinois did in 1961.

From New York Times • Jul. 21, 2023

Of twenty-one women found guilty of slander, nine made false accusations of rape, four accused their husbands of sexual violence, and one of sodomy.

From Criminal Man According to the Classification of Cesare Lombroso by Lombroso, Gina