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masochist

- 3 dictionary results

mas⋅och⋅ism

  [mas-uh-kiz-uhm, maz-]
Use masochist in a Sentence
–noun
1. Psychiatry. the condition in which sexual gratification depends on suffering, physical pain, and humiliation.
2. gratification gained from pain, deprivation, degradation, etc., inflicted or imposed on oneself, either as a result of one's own actions or the actions of others, esp. the tendency to seek this form of gratification.
3. the act of turning one's destructive tendencies inward or upon oneself.
4. the tendency to find pleasure in self-denial, submissiveness, etc.
Origin:
1890–95; named after L. von Sacher-Masoch, who described it; see -ism

Related forms:
mas⋅och⋅ist, noun
mas⋅och⋅is⋅tic, adjective
mas⋅och⋅is⋅ti⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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mas·och·ism   (mās'ə-kĭz'əm)   
n.  
  1. The deriving of sexual gratification, or the tendency to derive sexual gratification, from being physically or emotionally abused.
  2. The deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by oneself.
  3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.

[After Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895), Austrian novelist.]
mas'och·ist n., mas'och·is'tic adj., mas'och·is'ti·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry: mas·och·ist
Pronunciation: -k&st
Function: noun
: an individual who is given to masochism
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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