A.Word.A.Day --monophobia

A.Word.A.Day

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Apr 16, 2018

This week’s theme
Phobias & Manias

This week’s words
monophobia
sitomania
ailurophobia
pyromania
claustrophobia

Photo: Lettuce

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

The author James Thurber once said, “All men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why.” This summarizes most stories about humankind. This also summarizes this week’s words in A.Word.A.Day -- words about fear and desire, phobias and manias.

monophobia

PRONUNCIATION:

(mon-uh-FOH-bee-uh)

MEANING:

noun: A fear of being alone.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek mono- (one) + -phobia (fear). Earliest documented use: 1880.

USAGE:

“Some nights, Wally would lose sleep trying to figure out a means to combat his monophobia through exposure. How do you expose yourself to solitude gradually? Start in a room of ten people then slowly have them leave until it’s only you remaining?”
Jeff Spanke; Second Hand Out; Boom Shadow Books; 2008.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another. -Anatole France, novelist, essayist, Nobel laureate (16 Apr 1844-1924)

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