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

This week’s words
cynophobia
phillumenist
virilocal
pathophobia
paragnosis

“You have to fall in love with hanging around words.” ~John Ciardi
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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(path-uh-FO-bee-uh)

MEANING:

noun: An irrational fear of disease.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Greek patho- (suffering, disease) + -phobia (fear). Earliest documented use: 1873. A synonym is nosophobia. A related word is hypochondria.

USAGE:

“His lifelong pathophobia and his later fear of potential assassins were also characteristic.”
Max Domarus and Patrick Romane; The Essential Hitler: Speeches and Commentary; Bolchazy-Carducci; 2007.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: