Lexic.us

Definition of Phobia

1. Noun. An anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations. "Phobic disorder is a general term for all phobias"

Definition of Phobia

1. Noun. An irrational or obsessive fear or anxiety, usually of or about something particular. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Phobia

1. an obsessive or irrational fear [n -S]

Medical Definition of Phobia

1. A persistent, irrational, intense fear of a specific object, activity or situation (the phobic stimulus), fear that is recognised as being excessive or unreasonable by the individual himself. When a phobia is a significant source of distress or interferes with social functioning, it is considered a mental disorder, phobic disorder (or neurosis). In DSM III phobic disorders are subclassified as agoraphobia, social phobias and simple phobias. Used as a word termination denoting irrational fear of or aversion to the subject indicated by the stem to which it is affixed. Origin: Gr. Phobos = fear (16 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Phobia

Literary usage of Phobia

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Transactions of the Association of American Physicians by Association of American Physicians (1913)
"THE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY OF A CASE OF phobia: A CLINICAL STUDY BY MORTON PRINCE ... Accordingly, I sought to discover the origin and meaning of the phobia by the ..."

2. A Collection from the Newspaper Writings of Nathaniel Peabody Rogers by Nathaniel Peabody Rogers (1847)
"COLOR-phobia. [From the Herald of Freedom of NOT. 10, 1838. ... This color-phobia is making terrible havoc among our communities. Anti-slavery drives it out ..."

3. The Life of Thomas Jefferson by Henry Stephens Randall (1871)
"... in Europe—Paris in Commotion—A Lull in Affairs—All of Jefferson's Objects attained—His Reflections on tls Statc of Europe—His King-phobia increased—His ..."

4. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease by American Neurological Association, Philadelphia Neurological Society, Chicago Neurological Society, New York Neurological Association, Boston Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (1905)
"phobia of Inspection.—In this contribution Hartenberg describes the phobia ... The basis of this phobia is timidity, and these subjects always present the ..."

5. Memoir and Letters of Sara Coleridge by Sara Coleridge Coleridge, Edith Coleridge (1873)
"... phobia "— Middle-aged Looks—Simplicity of her Mother's Character. To AUBREY DE VERE, Esq. 1849.—I find it difficult to carry on literary business, ..."

6. Memoir and Letters of Sara Coleridge by Sara Coleridge Coleridge, Edith Coleridge (1873)
"... -phobia"— Middle-aged Looks—Simplicity of her Mother's Character. To AUBREY DE VERE, Esq. 1849.—I find it difficult to carry on literary business, ..."

7. The London Medical Gazette (1830)
"The patient was phobia, was applied to the recent wound of thirsty, but could not take fluid—I got some ice, and he took it into his mouth, and eat it with ..."

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