"sexual pleasure in being hurt or abused," 1892, from German Masochismus, coined 1883 by German neurologist Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902), from name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895), Austrian utopian socialist novelist who enshrined his submissive sexuality in "Venus in Furs" (1869, German title "Venus im Pelz").

Sacher-Masoch's parents merged their name when they married; von Masoch is his mother's surname. She was said to be from the Ukrainian aristocracy, and Masoch may represent a Germanized form of a Slavic name, probably a place-name.

also sadomasochism, "coexistence of sadism and masochism in the same person," 1916, from combining form of sadism + masochism. The abbreviation S & M is attested by 1965. An earlier word for sexualities that focused on violence (not quite the same thing) was algolagnia.

"one who is given to masochism," 1895, from masochism + -ist.

"of, pertaining to, or characterized by masochism," 1894, from masochist + -ic.

also sadomasochist, "one afflicted with sado-masochism," 1919; from combining form of sadist + masochist. Attested in German from 1913. Related: Sadomasochistic; sado-masochistic. Earlier was sadistic-masochistic (1892).

c. 1300, "legal condition of a serf or slave," from Middle English bond "a serf, tenant farmer," from Old English bonda "householder," from or cognate with Old Norse boandi "free-born farmer," noun use of present participle of boa "dwell, prepare, inhabit," from PIE *bhow-, from root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow." For sense evolution, see bond (adj.). The sexual sado-masochism sense is recorded by 1963 (in a New York law against publications portraying it).