Marquis de Sade
/mɑːrˌkiː də ˈsɑːd/noun
The title and name of Donatien Alphonse François de Sade (1740–1814), whose writings gave rise to the term “sadism.”
Did you know?The modern word “sadism” was coined from de Sade’s name in the nineteenth century, decades after his death, to describe sexual pleasure associated with inflicting pain or humiliation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*markō
“A boundary, border, or marked territorial limit”
Early Medieval Period
Frankish
*marka
“A frontier district or borderland”
9th–10th Century
Old French
marche
“A border territory or frontier region”
11th–12th Century
Old French
marquis
“A ruler or governor of a border province”
15th Century
French
marquis de Sade
“The Marquis of Sade; a noble title attached to the Sade family name”
18th Century
French
Donatien Alphonse François de Sade
“French aristocrat and writer whose works treated sexual violence, domination, and transgression”
19th Century–Modern English
English
sadism
“Pleasure derived from inflicting pain, coined from the name Sade”