In this guide, you’ll learn what masochist means, where it comes from, why we say it, how to use it, synonyms, acronyms, and more!
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Kevin
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January 12, 2022
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Has anyone ever asked you if you’re a masochist? You may not have known what they meant by the question. Before answering, it would be helpful to know what masochist means.
Whether you are a masochist or not is not the point, but understanding the meaning of the word makes you more knowledgable.
What Is the Definition of Masochist?
The word masochist is used widely in some circles, and it is a word rarely spoken in other circles. However, every word is a word worth understanding its meaning.
Masochist has two definitions in the English dictionary.
- A person who draws sexual gratification from being put through physical pain or humiliation.
- A person who takes pleasure in pain and suffering.
Examples
- As a masochist, Claudette experiences more sexual pleasure after she experiences pain.
- Only a masochist could enjoy running in this extremely hot and humid weather.
According to the English dictionary, masochist is pronounced mad-och-ist and sounds like ˈma-sə-kist.
What Are the Origins of the Word Masochist?
A masochist is a person who finds sexual pleasure in masochism. Masochism is an English word that comes from the late 19th century.
The word masochism was named after Austrian novelist Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. Masoch was born in January of 1836. He was an Austrian nobleman, journalist, and writer.
Masoch gained popularity for romantic tales about Galician life. Galicia was a historical region that was geographically located in Austria-Hungary. His most famous story today is Venus in Furs.
His descriptive writing inspired the word masochism to be derived from his name, and it was coined by an Austrian psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing. Masoch did not authorize the use of his name.
While his writing inspired Krafft-Ebing to name the sexual gratification from pain after him and forever tie his name to sexual pleasures. Masoch actually contributed to other literature, fiction and nonfiction. However, his novellas describing his fantasies and fetishes gained popularity and are still his most famous pieces.
Perhaps Masoch was so articulate and captivating because he wrote from experience. Krafft-Ebing claimed that the scientific community was unaware of this different form of pleasure until Masoch’s writings. That’s why he named it after him.
The most unfortunate part of Masoch’s story is that his mental health declined in his later years, and he spent the last part of his life in an asylum. He may not have authorized the use of his name, but his artful descriptions sparked a feeling in others. They were not the only ones.
How Do You Use the Word Masochist?
Today, masochism is most commonly tied to BDSM.
- Bondage and discipline
- Dominance
- Submission
- Sadism and Masochism
Masochism is the sexual gratification from pain or humiliation. BDSM represents the sexual activity for achieving that gratification. The abbreviation for this activity came 100 years after masochism was named after the Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch.
The other gratification closely associated with masochism is sadism. Where a masochist enjoys their own pain, a sadist enjoys inflicting pain. Within safe boundaries and mutual consent, it would seem that these two parallel pleasures belong together.
The words have been combined into sadomasochism to describe the sexual gratification for someone who enjoys pain, whether it is their own pain or someone else’s.
Depending on what kind of masochist a person is, the elements of their sexual fantasies and how they achieve sexual gratification may be different. Some common aspects of their sexual activities can include:
- Whips
- Punishment
- Shame
- Asphyxiation
Mental Health and Masochism
Masochists can face great difficulties in finding someone to talk to about their fantasies. It can be hard to describe that you need the experience of pain in order to achieve pleasure. For some, the anxiety they feel about their feelings can compel them to seek advice from a psychotherapist.
It’s important that true masochists find ways to process any guilt they may feel, learn the signs of significant distress, and manage their infliction of pain in a responsible and safe way. Masochists can attest to the fact that while they may achieve sexual gratification, the pain still hurts.
The aftermath can be particularly painful. It can also be difficult for a masochist to understand their own behaviors.
The bottom line is that there are important areas of being a masochist that need to be addressed to ensure that the person is still achieving sexual arousal, has healthy self-esteem, and are not in prolonged misery that doesn’t serve them.
According to the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, sexual masochism disorder should be diagnosed in psychotherapy. Like most disorders, the distinction would occur when it is negatively impacting the person’s life.
Some aspects, like asphyxiophilia, can be dangerous and need to be monitored and acts carried out safely or resisted.
What Are the Synonyms of the Word Masochist?
Synonyms help us express the same meaning of a word with other words. The use of synonyms can give your writing depth and help you avoid being redundant. Here are a few synonyms for the word masochist.
- Self-indulgent
- Nihilistic
- Morose
A true synonym is hard to find because of the history of the word masochist.
What Are the Antonyms of Masochist?
An antonym has the opposite meaning of the original word. Here are antonyms of the word masochist.
- Sadist
Examples of the Word Masochist
- Bill claimed his actions were that of a masochist when he shot Beatrix in the movie Kill Bill.
- It felt good to open up as a masochist.
- Are you a masochist or a sadist?
- I am a masochist, but I’m working through my urges.
Today, we learned what the word masochist means, so you can better understand it the next time you hear it used in a sentence.
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