hydrophobia

[ hahy-druh-foh-bee-uh ]

noun

1. an extreme dread or fear of water, especially when associated with painful involuntary throat spasms from a rabies infection. Compare aquaphobia.
2. rabies.

hydrophobia

/ ˌhaɪdrəˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. another name for rabies
2. a fear of drinking fluids, esp that of a person with rabies, because of painful spasms when trying to swallow Compare aquaphobia

hydrophobia

/ hī′drə-fō′bē-ə /

1. Abnormal fear of water.
2. Rabies.

Other Words From

• hy·dro·pho·bic adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydrophobia¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin, from Greek hydrophobía; hydro- ¹, -phobia

Word History

Hydrophobia is an older term for the disease rabies, and it means “fear of water.” Because of this name, many people think that rabies makes one afraid of water. In fact, this is not the case (although rabies does cause mental confusion of other kinds). The name hydrophobia comes from the fact that animals and people with rabies get spasms in their throat muscles that are so painful that they cannot eat or drink, and so will refuse water in spite of being very thirsty.

Example Sentences

The dog or monkey or raccoon infected with rabies becomes wildly thirsty — yet at the same time also suffers from hydrophobia.

From Washington Times

One central symptom of the disease is hydrophobia, a fear of water.

From Salon

Joining anxieties such as claustrophobia and hydrophobia, xenophobia appeared in medical dictionaries of the time as “the morbid dread of meeting strangers.”

From Washington Post

Its devastating ending saw Old Yeller get “hydrophobia,” or rabies, forcing the family to put him down.

From Seattle Times

Indeed, humans who suffer rabies experience hydrophobia and difficulty swallowing, which lets the virus build up in the victims' mouth.

From Salon