sadism — the tendency to derive pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the tendency to derive pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈseɪdɪzəm/
Example Sentences
- The villain's sadism made him the most hated character in the movie.
- His sadism was so obvious that even his pet goldfish looked worried.
- The psychology professor explained sadism as a serious personality disorder.
sadism
NOUN[/ˈseɪdɪzəm/]
the tendency to derive pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others
Deriving pleasure from others' suffering
Through sadism's prism, light creates a schism
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The term derives from the name of 18th-century French writer Marquis de Sade, whose novels were notorious for their depictions of extreme cruelty and violence. His surname became adopted into psychological terminology to describe the pathological tendency to derive pleasure from inflicting pain on others.
Breakdown
Sade (proper name, from Marquis de Sade) + -ism (doctrine, practice, or condition), forming a neologism that transformed a personal name into a medical-psychological term denoting a specific behavioral condition.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The villain's sadism made him the most hated character in the movie.”
“His sadism was so obvious that even his pet goldfish looked worried.”
“The psychology professor explained sadism as a serious personality disorder.”
“Her sadism towards mosquitoes was legendary - she had seventeen different bug zappers.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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