sado-masochism n.

"love of cruelty," especially as evidence of a subconscious lust that the cruelty satisfies, 1888, from French sadisme, from the name of Count Donatien A.F. de Sade (1740-1815). Not a marquis, though usually now called one, he was notorious for the cruel sexual practices described in his novels.

"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.

"sado-masochism, sexuality that fetishizes violence and pain," 1900, Modern Latin, coined in German in 1892 by German doctor and paranormalist Albert von Schrenck-Notzing (1862-1929) from Greek algos "pain" (see -algia) + lagneia "lust," from lagnein "to lust" (from PIE root *sleg- "be slack, be languid").