phobo-, phob-, -phobia, -phobias, -phobe, -phobiac, -phobist, -phobic, -phobism, -phobous

(Greek: fear, extreme fear of; morbid, excessive, irrational fear, or terror of something or someone; however, sometimes this Greek element also means a strong dislike, dread, or hatred for something or someone)


For more details about the various phobias, visit this Phobias Introduction page to see Phobia Variations Defined and Explained.

There are only two forces that unite men: fear and self-interest.

—Napoleon Bonparte
molysmophobia, molysomophobia (s) (noun) (no plural)
An uncommon loathing of infection or contamination: Mr. Grange, severely affected with molysomophobia, was overly concerned regarding any dirt or germs in his house, so he always vacuumed twice a day and did his laundry at least every other day!
monologophobia (s) (noun) (no plural)
The fanatical fear of repeating words in written work: The author, Mr. Gregson, affected by monologophobia, was excessively careful that he varied the use of terms and expressions in all of his sentences in his new novel, trying to making it as interesting as possible.
monopathophobia (s) (noun), monopathophobias (pl)
An abnormal panic of a particular disease: People suffering from monopathophobia tend to worry in an extreme way about contracting an illness in a certain part of the body.
monophobia (s) (noun) (usually no plural)
1. An extreme angst or morbid dread of being left alone or of being in an isolated place: Mildred suffered from monophobia after her husband died and there were no other family members from whom she could get any help or have companionship, especially since she was living up in the mountains with no neighbors.
2. A special fear of just one thing: Manfred had a monophobia about falling down the steps whenever he had to use them, so he always made sure he had a hand on the railing when going up or down the stairway. His monophobia was based on what happened to his uncle when he stumbled down the steps to his basement and broke his neck.

A dread of being left alone.
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A strong dislike of being alone.
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motorphobia (s) (noun) (no plural)
A strong apprehension of automobiles: As a little girl with motorphobia, Susi always seized her father's hand when she heard the faintest sound of a vehicle.
muriphobia, murophobia, musophobia (s) (noun) (no plural)
An uncontrolled fear of mice or rats: Some people who have muriphobia have fainted or run at the sight of the very small rodent, or at least jumped away to avoid contact with it.

When the mouse ran across the floor in the living room, Josh revealed his muriphobia by jumping up on top of a chair.

musicophobia (s) (noun) (no plural)
A exaggerated dislike of music: Somehow while growing up and developing a musicophobia, Janet avoided anything having to do with concerts or learning how to play an instrument because she just didn't want to get involved with doing what her parents were deeply interested in.
musophobiac (s) (nouns), musophobiacs (pl)
A person who has a strong fear of mice or rats: Mrs. Thompson exposed herself as a musophobiac when she suddenly ran from the garden yelling that she had seen a long-tailed rodent near the garage!
myrmecophobia (s) (noun) (no plural)
An excessive avoidance of ants: Quite often those, who have an abnormal fear of the family of Formicidae, are also phobic about other tiny insects and are afflicted with myrmecophobia.

Some people who have abnormal fears of dirt or contamination may also fear the presence of these tiny social insects near food or in the kitchen, and probably have myrmecophobia.

If they have such a obsessive-compulsive disorder, they may continually wash kitchen counters and the inside of their refrigerators as a ritual to give themselves a sense of assurance that no insects or other sources of contamination are present.

myrmecophobic (adjective), more myrmecophobic, most myrmecophobic
A reference to plants that repel ants or termites: Such myrmecophobic vegetation has hairs or glands to fend off or repulse Isoptera, an order of social insects living in groups, to provide protection from damage or harm.
mysophobia (s) (noun) (no pl)
A pathologic fear of dirt, uncleanliness, or contamination: Mrs. Clean was so occupied with her home being totally taintless that she washed her curtains almost every week, changed her bedding every day, and washed her hands compulsively, and she was known by her friends to have mysophobia.
mysophobiac (s) (noun), mysophobiacs (pl)
Someone who has an abnormal hatred of filth or contamination: Mr. Clean was different from his wife, who was a mysophobiac, and didn't mind having dust on the furniture or having dirty dishes in the kitchen waiting to be washed.
mysophobic (adjective), more mysophobic, most mysophobic
Relating to a person who is afraid of dirt or contamination: Shirley was certainly a mysophobic individual who avoided being in a bus with other people, or in a taxi where others had traveled because of the filth, stains, and grime that could even be seen!
mythophobia (s) (noun) (no plural)
1. An unreasonable apprehension about making false statements; an unnatural fear of incorrectness: Some teachers have mythophobia because they are afraid of saying something wrong in front of their students!
2. A pathological fear of stories or myths: In some cases parents have mythophobia in that they don't want their children to read fairy tales, legends, sagas or fables with the possibility that their children might believe them to be true!
nautophobia (s) (noun), nautophobias (pl)
1. A trepidation of boats or ships: James never likes going to countries by vessel because of his nautophobia and his horror of sinking in the middle of the ocean!
2. A dread of water or of being on water: Ever so often sailors have nautophobia concerning their panic of drowning in the sea or ocean.