hybristophile means A person who exhibits hybristophilia. It carries an Arena rating of 1288, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, hybristophile ranks #471 of 17,131 for Scariest Words, #1,712 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #2,380 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,818 of 17,163 for Funniest Words.
Why “hybristophile” is a great word
A person sexually aroused by or attracted to individuals who have committed crimes or atrocities. The term is a back-formation from hybristophilia, itself from Ancient Greek ὕβρις (húbris, "outrage, insolence, wanton violence") + -philia (from φιλία (philía, "friendship, love")). Unlike a sadomasochist, who is drawn to the dynamics of pain and humiliation, or a groupie, who seeks the aura of fame, the hybristophile is captivated by the moral void, by the indelible fact of the crime. It is the whispered letter to a prison cell, the thrill of a killer's personal artifact held in secret, the perverse warmth found in communion with the one who dared cross the final line—a love that can only bloom in the long shadow cast by a broken world.
Etymology
Back-formation from hybristophilia with -phile
noun
- A person who exhibits hybristophilia.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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