Sodomises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Engages in anal intercourse with another person as a sexual act
2. Has anal sex with a partner by penetrating that person through the anus
3. Takes part in anal intercourse, a sexual practice in which the penis enters a partner's rectum

Etymology: The verb "sodomise" is built from "sodomy" plus the suffix "-ise," and the suffix is the more interesting half of the story. The "-ise" ending traces back to ancient Greek "-izein," a verb-forming suffix that gave the sense of making or treating something a certain way. It passed into Late Latin as "-izare," then into Old French as "-iser," and reached Middle English as "-isen." Over the centuries English used the same pattern to create countless verbs, from "civilise" to "familiarise," so "sodomise" is a standard member of a very large family rather than a unique coinage. The base word, "sodomy," is the older and more loaded element. It came into English from Old French and Medieval Latin, drawing on the biblical city of Sodom, but the link to that place name was an association made by later writers rather than a literal description of the word's meaning. The result is a verb that carries the full weight of its noun, which explains why it has long been used in legal and religious contexts.

Synonyms: sodomizes