What does sodomitical mean?
Sodomitical means relating to Sodom, the ancient city repeatedly condemned in the Hebrew Bible, and it can also describe sexual practices or moral sins traditionally associated with the city. The word belongs chiefly to biblical, theological, and historical English, where it evokes stories of sexual corruption, pride, violence, and divine judgment. In modern discussion, however, it may sound archaic and offensive because it can be used as a hostile substitute for explicitly naming sexual acts or identities. The adjective should therefore be reserved for contexts in which its historical or religious significance is relevant, rather than employed as a sensational label. It is closely associated with the related nouns Sodomite and Sodomy, but it normally functions as an adjective describing a place, practice, society, or narrative rather than directly naming a person.
adjectiveRelating to Sodom, the ancient city described in the Hebrew Bible, or to the sexual sins traditionally associated with it. The term is now chiefly historical, theological, or derogatory.
- Of or relating to the ancient city of Sodom.
- Characteristic of the sexual practices or moral sins traditionally attributed to the inhabitants of Sodom.
"The account portrays the inhabitants of Sodom as condemned for their persistent moral depravity."
"The prophets repeatedly invoked Sodom as an example of divine judgment."
"The writer described the corrupt society of the city in unmistakably sodomitical language."
"Such moralizing reflects a highly archaic understanding of the term."
Once a familiar biblical label, “sodomitical” survives mainly in theology and historical writing, where Sodom remains a powerful symbol of sexual and moral corruption.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sodomitical come from?
Sodomitical was formed in English from Sodom with an adjectival suffix meaning “relating to” or “pertaining to.” The name Sodom entered English through Latin, ultimately from the Hebrew name associated with the ancient city. Its strongest associations come from biblical accounts that portray Sodom as a center of sexual and moral corruption, although the precise historical meaning of the city's Hebrew name is uncertain.
Related word forms
How sodomitical is actually used
The adjective is now chiefly historical, biblical, or theological. Outside explicitly historical contexts, it can sound deliberately archaic and derogatory, especially when applied to sexual conduct or used as a general insult.
Easily confused with sodomitical
Sodomitical is an adjective describing something associated with Sodom or its attributed sins, whereas a Sodomite is a noun for an inhabitant of Sodom or, in historical usage, a person associated with the sexual practices attributed to the city.