masochism

M3A1S1O1C3H4I1S1M3
UK, US/ˈmæs.ə.kɪ.zəm/UK, US/ˈmæz.ə.kɪ.zəm/

noun

The (often sexual) enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation.

Similar
algophilia
Opposite
sadism
OriginGerman Masochismus →
Less commonScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounmasochism (countable and uncountable, plural masochisms)

plural masochisms

  1. countableuncountableThe (often sexual) enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation.

    Synonyms: algophilia

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe (often sexual) enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation.

Similar
algophilia
Opposite
sadism
Also see
algophilia

Origin

  1. GermanMasochismus
  2. Englishmasochism

From German Masochismus, coined alongside Sadismus in 1886 by Richard von Krafft-Ebing in his book Psychopathia Sexualis. Named after Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, whose novel "Venus in Furs" explores a sadomasochistic relationship, + -ism.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مَاسُوشِيَّة, مَازُوخِيَّة
  • مَاسُوشِيَّة (māsūšiyya)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • مَازُوخِيَّة (māzūḵiyya)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • مَازُوكِيَّة (māzūkiyya)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • خُضُوعِيَّة (ḵuḍūʕiyya)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Catalan masoquisme
  • masoquismethe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Chinese Mandarin 性受虐狂, 受虐狂
  • 性受虐狂 (xìngshòunüèkuáng)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • 受虐狂 (shòunüèkuáng)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • 受虐癖 (shòunüèpǐ)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Czech masochismus
  • masochismusthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Danish masochisme
  • masochismethe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Dutch masochisme
  • masochismethe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Esperanto masoĥismo
  • masoĥismothe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Estonian masohhism
  • masohhismthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Finnish masokismi
  • masokismithe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
French masochisme
  • masochismethe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
German Masochismus
  • Masochismusthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Greek μαζοχισμός
  • μαζοχισμός (mazochismós)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Hindi स्वपीड़न, स्वपीड़न रति
  • स्वपीड़न (svapīṛan)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • स्वपीड़न रति (svapīṛan rati)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Hungarian mazochizmus
  • mazochizmusthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Indonesian masokhisme
  • masokhismethe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Italian masochismo
  • masochismothe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Japanese マゾヒズム
  • マゾヒズム (mazohizumu)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Latvian mazohisms
  • mazohismsthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Malay kemasokisan, masokisme
  • kemasokisanthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • masokismethe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Norwegian masokisme
  • masokismethe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Persian مازوخیسم
  • مازوخیسم (mâzoxism)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Polish masochizm
  • masochizmthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Portuguese masoquismo
  • masoquismothe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Russian мазохи́зм
  • мазохи́зм (mazoxízm)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Spanish masoquismo
  • masoquismothe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Swedish masochism
  • masochismthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Tagalog masokismo
  • masokismothe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Turkish mazoşizm, mazoşistlik
  • mazoşizmthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • mazoşistlikthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
  • özezerlikthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Ukrainian мазохі́зм
  • мазохі́зм (mazoxízm)the enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Vietnamese khổ dâm
  • khổ dâmthe enjoyment of receiving pain or humiliation
Cite this entry
APA

masochism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masochism

MLA

“masochism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masochism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “masochism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masochism.

Source: masochism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.