masochism
UK[ˈmæs.ə.kɪ.zəm]US[ˈmæs.ə.kɪ.zəm]
n
The enjoyment of something that most people would find unpleasant or painful.
n
A tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from one's own pain or humiliation.
Morpheme Breakdown
masoch
ism
masoch
name
ism
doctrine/system
Etymology
The term is a modern formation, coined in the late 19th century by the German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing. He derived it directly from the surname of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, whose novels frequently depicted characters who found pleasure in submission and physical or psychological pain. The suffix -ism, of Greek origin via Latin and French, systematically forms nouns denoting practices, systems, or conditions. Thus, 'masochism' literally translates to "the practice or condition associated with Masoch," evolving from a specific literary reference into a standard psychological and colloquial term for deriving pleasure from suffering.
Analysis
Structure: masoch (name) + ism (doctrine/system)
masoch (from the surname of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, 19th-century Austrian writer) + ism (from Greek -ισμός (-ismós), a suffix forming nouns of action, state, condition, doctrine)
Examples
His stubborn refusal to delegate tasks bordered on professional masochism.
The film explores the dark themes of masochism and power dynamics within the relationship.
Some critics argue that marathon running is a form of voluntary masochism.