self-flagellation

noun

The practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins.

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Meanings

nounself-flagellation (countable and uncountable, plural self-flagellations)

plural self-flagellations

  1. countablehistoricaluncountableThe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins.
  2. countableinformaluncountableIntense feelings of guilt.

    It was [...] followed by feelings of immense guilt and self-flagellation. What did I do wrong? What did I forget?

    2020, Louise Curtis with Sarah Johnson, A Nurseʼs Story: My Life in A&E During the Covid Crisis, Pan Books, page 70

Translations

Bulgarian самобичуване
  • самобичуване (samobičuvane)the practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Catalan autoflagel·lació
  • autoflagel·lacióthe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Finnish itsensäruoskinta
  • itsensäruoskintathe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
French autoflagellation
  • autoflagellationthe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
German Selbstgeißelung
  • Selbstgeißelungthe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Italian autoflagellazione
  • autoflagellazionethe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Polish samobiczowanie
  • samobiczowaniethe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Portuguese autoflagelação
  • autoflagelaçãothe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Romanian autoflagelare
  • autoflagelarethe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Spanish autoflagelación
  • autoflagelaciónthe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Swedish självgisslande, självgissling
  • självgisslandethe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
  • självgisslingthe practice of whipping oneself as penance for sins
Cite this entry
APA

self-flagellation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-flagellation

MLA

“self-flagellation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-flagellation. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “self-flagellation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-flagellation.

Source: self-flagellation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.