self-mortification

noun

self-mor·​ti·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌself-ˌmȯr-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce self-mortification (audio)
plural self-mortifications
: the infliction of pain or discomfort on oneself
Early Roman Catholic missions in the Philippines had emphasized a form of transcendence that is achieved through acts of pain-inflicting self-mortification.Julius Bautista
… he was earnestly pressed by Mrs. Dashwood to stay longer; but, as if he were bent only on self-mortification, he seemed resolved to be gone when his enjoyment among his friends was at the height.Jane Austen
I was a well-oiled self-mortification machine. That is, a teenager.Jonathan Goldstein

Word History

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-mortification was in 1586

Dictionary Entries Near self-mortification

Cite this Entry

“Self-mortification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-mortification. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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