self-stimulation

noun

Repetitive behavior intended to stimulate one's senses.

Similar
stimmingself-abuse
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Meanings

nounself-stimulation (uncountable)
  1. uncountableautismhuman sciencesRepetitive behavior intended to stimulate one's senses.

    Synonyms: stimming

  2. euphemisticrareuncountablehuman sciencesMasturbation.

    [see title]

    1967, Sexual Self-Stimulation

Synonyms & antonyms

nounRepetitive behavior intended to stimulate one's senses.

Similar
stimming

More synonyms by meaning

nounmanual stimulation of your own genital organ for sexual pleasure

Similar
self-abuse
Broader
masturbationonanism
Also see
autostimulationself-abusestim

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From self- + stimulation. Autism-related sense common since around 1970, before which other terms were also used.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Greek αυτοερεθισμός
  • αυτοερεθισμός (aftoerethismós)sensory stimulation associated with autism and other conditions
Spanish autoestimulación
  • autoestimulaciónsensory stimulation associated with autism and other conditions
Cite this entry
APA

self-stimulation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-stimulation

MLA

“self-stimulation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-stimulation. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “self-stimulation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-stimulation.

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