Describes a person, behavior, or attitude that derives pleasure from cruelty or the suffering of others. Often used in psychological or descriptive contexts.
His sadistic personality hurt those around him.
The movie contains many sadistic scenes.
Compound of 嗜虐 (shigyaku, 'fondness for cruelty') + 的 (-teki, '-like'). 嗜虐 is itself composed of 嗜 (shi, 'to have a taste for') and 虐 (gyaku, 'oppress' or 'cruelty'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common pattern for forming adjectival nouns from Sino-Japanese compounds.