Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The combination of sadism and masochism, in particular the deriving of pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting or submitting to physical or emotional abuse.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The practices of sadism and masochism collectively, usually in reference to consensual practices within the BDSM community.
  • noun Sadism and masochism in one person; the enjoyment by a person of both inflicting and receiving pain.
  • noun Sadomasochism for sexual gratification.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun sadism and masochism combined in one person

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Today, Mapplethorpe probably is best known for his lush black-and-white photographs of flowers, celebrities — and male nudes engaged in sadomasochism, which fueled debates about public funding for the arts.

    “Mapplethorpe: Polaroids” | clusterflock 2009

  • The research showed 2 per cent of adult Australians regularly partake in sadomasochism and dominance and submission-type sexual role play.

    Bondage Lovers Normal, Maybe Even Happier | Disinformation 2008

  • The bill has also looked at other controversial areas such as the practice of sadomasochism, which is currently illegal, but looks set to be legalised for consenting adults.

    unknown title 2009

  • Lasky’s giddy enthusiasm occasionally led him to overlook things—he would refer to the sadomasochism of The Cheat as “a wonderful, absorbing love story”—but he always tended to business.

    Empire of Dreams Scott Eyman 2010

  • The novel, according to an ECHR statement, "contains graphic descriptions of scenes of sexual intercourse, with various practices such as sadomasochism or vampirism."

    The Earth Times Online Newspaper 2010

  • The novel, according to an ECHR statement, "contains graphic descriptions of scenes of sexual intercourse, with various practices such as sadomasochism or vampirism."

    The Earth Times Online Newspaper 2010

  • The novel, according to an ECHR statement, "contains graphic descriptions of scenes of sexual intercourse, with various practices such as sadomasochism or vampirism."

    The Earth Times Online Newspaper 2010

  • The novel, according to an ECHR statement, "contains graphic descriptions of scenes of sexual intercourse, with various practices such as sadomasochism or vampirism."

    The Earth Times Online Newspaper 2010

  • But surely no one expects readers to be converted to Nazism or sadomasochism through Aue's account of himself, either, so one must conclude that Franklin's and Bukiet's dislike of an "unremitting immersion in Aue's worldview" has been converted into a general critical requirement that bad people as depicted in fiction must be "counteracted" by a "philosophical or artistic" effort to meliorate their evil.

    December 2009 2009

  • But surely no one expects readers to be converted to Nazism or sadomasochism through Aue's account of himself, either, so one must conclude that Franklin's and Bukiet's dislike of an "unremitting immersion in Aue's worldview" has been converted into a general critical requirement that bad people as depicted in fiction must be "counteracted" by a "philosophical or artistic" effort to meliorate their evil.

    Translated Texts 2010

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