catamitism

noun /ˈkætəmaɪtɪzm/

a) The practice of keeping catamites.

[T]he Viſcount de Turenne…Remonſtrated to Madam de Buillon, that this Prince having us’d his firſt Wife Ill, whom he had kick’d when with Child, of which ſhe dy’d, ‛twas expoſing her Daughter to the like treatment; that he was addied to Wine and Women, Qualities not only unworthy a Perſon of his Rank, but allſo to a little Catamitiſm…

b) The essence of being a catamite.

Exhibitionists do not like to confess their venial sins — catamitism and group sex, yes, petty avarice and pettier maliciousness, no: the latter faults do not make for salable reading.

See Also: catamitery, catamitic, catamitical, catamitically