Algophilist

/ælɡəˈfɪlɪst/ noun

Definition

A person who is attracted to pain or who experiences sexual gratification from pain; someone exhibiting algophilia.

Etymology

From algophilia + -ist (one who practices or exhibits). This clinical term follows psychiatric naming conventions, though it's largely replaced by more standard terminology like 'masochist' or 'sadist.'

Kelly Says

Like many archaic psychiatric terms, 'algophilist' was gradually replaced by words based on the actual researchers who identified the conditions—masochism comes from the author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, while sadism comes from the Marquis de Sade.

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