Sade, Mar ‧ quis de /sɑːd, ˈmɑːki də $ ˈmɑːr-/ BrE AmE
(1740–1814) a French writer who was put in prison for his violent sexual actions. He wrote novels and plays about the sexual pleasure he got from hurting other people, and ↑ sadism , the word for this type of sexual pleasure, is based on his name.