Standard Lemma guide

sadomasochism

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /seɪdəʊˈmæsəkɪzəm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The practices of sadism and masochism collectively, usually in reference to consensual practices within the BDSM community.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Sadism and masochism: the (often sexual) enjoyment by one person of both inflicting and receiving pain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

sadism and masochism combined in one person

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sadism, masochism

History

Etymology

From sado- + masochism.

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: sadomasoquisme — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Chinese Mandarin: 施虐與受虐 /施虐与受虐 (shīnüè yǔ shòunüè) — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Dutch: sadomasochisme — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Esperanto: sado-masoĥismo — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Finnish: sadomasokismi — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • French: sadomasochisme — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Georgian: სადომაზოხიზმი (sadomazoxizmi) — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • German: Sadomasochismus — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Italian: sadomasochismo — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Japanese: エス・エム (esu-emu) — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Latin: sadomasochismus — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Polish: sadomasochizm — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Portuguese: sadomasoquismo — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Russian: садомазохи́зм (sadomazoxízm) — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Spanish: sadomasoquismo — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Swedish: sadomasochism — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Yiddish: סאַדאָמאַסאָכיזם (sadomasokhizm) — practices of sadism and masochism collectively
  • Chinese Mandarin: 施虐受虐癖 — sadism and masochism in one person
  • Dutch: sadomasochisme — sadism and masochism in one person
  • Finnish: sadomasokismi — sadism and masochism in one person
  • Russian: садомазохи́зм (sadomazoxízm) — sadism and masochism in one person
  • Swedish: sadomasochism — sadism and masochism in one person
  • Yiddish: סאַדאָמאַסאָכיזם (sadomasokhizm) — sadism and masochism in one person
  • Chinese Mandarin: 虐戀 /虐恋 (nüèliàn) — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Chinese Mandarin: 性虐戀 /性虐恋 — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Dutch: sadomasochisme — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Finnish: sadomasokismi — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Georgian: სადომაზოხიზმი (sadomazoxizmi) — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Portuguese: sadomasoquismo — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Russian: садомазохи́зм (sadomazoxízm) — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Swedish: sadomasochism — sadomasochism for sexual gratification
  • Yiddish: סאַדאָמאַסאָכיזם (sadomasokhizm) — sadomasochism for sexual gratification