Quantcast
 
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

Flagellants

 - 3 dictionary results

flag⋅el⋅lant

[flaj-uh-luhnt, fluh-jel-uhnt]
–noun
1. a person who flagellates or scourges himself or herself for religious discipline.
2. a person who derives sexual pleasure from whipping or being whipped by another person.
3. (often initial capital letter) one of a medieval European sect of fanatics who practiced scourging in public.
–adjective
4. flagellating.
5. severely criticizing: a flagellant attack on the opposition party.

Origin:
1555–65; < L flagellant- (s. of flagellāns) whipping, prp. of flagellāre. See flagellum, -ant


flag⋅el⋅lant⋅ism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To Flagellants
flag·el·lant   (flāj'ə-lənt, flə-jěl'ənt)   
n.  
  1. One who whips, especially one who scourges oneself for religious discipline or public penance.

  2. One who seeks sexual gratification in beating or being beaten by another person.


[Latin flagellāns, flagellant-, from present participle of flagellāre, to whip; see flagellate.]
flag'el·lant adj., flag'el·lant·ism n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: fla·gel·lant
Pronunciation: 'flaj-&-l&nt, fl&-'jel-&nt
Function: noun
: a person who responds sexually to beingbeaten by or to beating another flagellant person —flagellant adjectivefla·gel·lant·ism /-"iz-&m/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see Flagellants on Thesaurus | Reference