One-line definition
S/M stands for Sadism and Masochism, the pain-and-sensation axis of the BDSM acronym.
Full definition
S/M centres pain, intense sensation, and the psychological charge of the giving-and-receiving exchange. It can be entirely physical, entirely psychological, or both, and it is one axis of three rather than the whole of BDSM, since plenty of dynamics involve no pain at all. Healthy S/M is the opposite of harm-doing; it runs on consent, limits, stop mechanisms, and care.
Related terms
- Sadist
- Masochist
- Sadomasochist
- Impact Play
- Consent