Algolagnists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who derive pleasure from pain or suffering experienced by themselves or others
2. People who find satisfaction or joy in the infliction or reception of physical pain
3. Those who engage in, or are aroused by, activities that involve physical discomfort or harm to themselves or others

Etymology: "Algolagnists" is the plural of "algolagnist," a noun for a person who takes pleasure in physical pain, whether their own or someone else's. The root "algolagnia" combines the Greek "algos," meaning pain, with "lagneia," meaning lust or sexual desire, and the suffix "-ist" marks a person who practises or adheres to something. The formation is a modern scientific coinage built from classical parts, not a term ancient Greeks would have recognised. Its suffix "-ist" follows the pattern of many nineteenth-century terms for people defined by a practice or inclination, so the word reads as a clinical label rather than an everyday one.

Synonyms: sadists