Definition

A practice where people gain pleasure from giving or receiving pain, often in a sexual context.

Example

They explored their relationship through sadomasochism, finding excitement in their shared experiences.

Conversation

I recently read an article about sadomasochism and found it really interesting.

Oh really? What was the main point of the article?

It talked about how some people find pleasure in both giving and receiving pain.

That’s quite a unique perspective; I never thought about it that way.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sadomasochism is formed from "sado-" (derived from the name of the Marquis de Sade, who explored themes of sexual cruelty) and "masochism" (from the name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, who depicted the enjoyment of pain in sexual contexts). The term describes a practice involving the giving and receiving of pleasure through pain or humiliation.

Memory Tip

Think of the Marquis de Sade's exploration of sexual cruelty ('sado-') combined with the enjoyment of pain ('masochism') to remember that sadomasochism involves both pleasure and pain.

Visually Confused Words