What does "sodomy" mean?
Any of several forms of sexual intercourse held to be unnatural, particularly bestiality or homosexuality, but also (sometimes) anal, oral, or manual sex.
Sodomy
/ˈsɒdəmi/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of several forms of sexual intercourse held to be unnatural, particularly bestiality or homosexuality, but also (sometimes) anal, oral, or manual sex.
- Grammar: sodomy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: buggery, anal intercourse, anal sex, archaic term.
- Useful contrasts: clinical term, natural sex, neutral descriptor.
- Usage evidence: I'd burn down the whole city for some sodomy right now.
How to use "sodomy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sodomy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sodomy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sodomy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sodomy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sodomy" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "buggery" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sodomy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of several forms of sexual intercourse held to be unnatural, particularly bestiality or homosexuality, but also (sometimes) anal, oral, or manual sex. countable, uncountable
"Mr. Shakur and his road manager, Charles Fuller, 24, were convicted Dec. 1 of first-degree sexual abuse, but they were acquitted of weapons and sodomy charges."
- 2 intercourse via the anus, committed by a man with a man or woman wordnet
- 3 Anal sex. countable, uncountable
"The only published study (Feigen, 1954), which looked at 68 adults engaging in consensual anal sex, found that “it was not possible to relate the appearance of the anus to the practice of sodomy; there was no appreciable difference of the anus in those who practiced sodomy frequently and those that practiced it rarely" (p. 81)."
- 4 sexual activity between a person and an animal wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
clinical termnatural sexneutral descriptorprocreative sex
Example
"I'd burn down the whole city for some sodomy right now."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sodomy"?
Common synonyms include: buggery, anal intercourse, anal sex, archaic term, autoeroticism, bestiality.
How do you use "sodomy" in a sentence?
I'd burn down the whole city for some sodomy right now.
How do you pronounce "sodomy"?
Pronounced /ˈsɒdəmi/.
Etymology
From Sodom, where the Bible, in Genesis chapters 18 and 19 and elsewhere, suggests sexual depravity.