noun
sadism
SAY-dih-zuhm
noun
1
The tendency to take pleasure in causing pain, suffering, or humiliation to others.
"The villain's sadism made him one of the most disturbing characters in the film."
How to Use Sadism
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGetting enjoyment from hurting or humiliating others.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "masochism," which is enjoyment from receiving pain, not inflicting it.
Easily confused with
masochism
Word Forms
sadisms plural
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The villain's _____ made him one of the most disturbing characters in the film.
Etymology
Named after the Marquis de Sade, an 18th-century French writer notorious for depicting cruelty and violence in his work; the term was coined in French in the 19th century and later popularized by psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing.