A.Word.A.Day --cynophobia

A.Word.A.Day

Home

Jul 16, 2018

This week’s theme
There’s a word for it

This week’s words
cynophobia
phillumenist
virilocal
pathophobia
paragnosis

“All words are pegs to hang ideas on.” ~Beecher
Send some to friends & family

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

Reader Jack Clay asked, “Once, twice, thrice. So what is four or five, etc.?”

Up to three not enough for you? I mean, even Marie Curie won a Nobel only twice. And people have won double Nobels only ... four times ... okay, I can see where those words may come handy.

Sorry, we do not have a word for four times, five times, etc., in the English language (how about other languages?). As a consolation, we can tell you that English does have words beyond primary, secondary, and tertiary. There are quaternary, quinary, senary, and so on. Maybe these can inspire you to coin a word for four times and beyond.

While you are thinking of those words, we’ll share with you words that are already a part of the English language. Words that may make you say: I didn’t know there was a word for it!

cynophobia

PRONUNCIATION:

(sy-nuh-FO-bee-uh)

MEANING:

noun: A fear of dogs.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek kyon (dog) + -phobia (fear). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kwon- (dog), which also gave us canine, chenille (from French chenille: caterpillar, literally, little dog), kennel, canary, hound, dachshund, corgi, cynic, cynosure, and canaille. Earliest documented use: 1879.

ETYMOLOGY:

Read about Putin's use of cynophobia in world politics here (permalink).

USAGE:

"The Barnards have brought Lucie to an hour-long children's cynophobia session at Dyer's Essex Dog Training Centre.^* ... If Lucie is not petting a dog before the hour is over then it will be a rare failure for Dyer over the 25 years that he has been running the classes.”
Sharon Smith; How to Get a Dog Phobia Licked; The Times (London, UK); Nov 18, 2016.
^*Shouldn’t this be called a Human Training Centre?

See more usage examples of cynophobia in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Every student needs someone who says, simply, "You mean something. You count." -Tony Kushner, playwright (b. 16 Jul 1956)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise