acarophobia

American  

[ak-er-uh-foh-bee-uh] / ˌæk ər əˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of bites or infestation by small parasitic insects or mites, causing crawling or itching sensations on the skin.

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Other Word Forms

• acarophobic adjective

Etymology

Origin of acarophobia

First recorded in 1940–94; acar(us) + -o- ( def. ) + -phobia ( def. )

Explanation

Acarophobia is an extreme fear of very tiny bugs. If you suffer from acarophobia, the idea of getting head lice is completely terrifying. Most people have a dislike or even disgust for creepy crawly bugs, but when that normal feeling becomes overwhelming and exaggerated, it might be diagnosed as acarophobia. A person with this disorder has a horror of small crawling insects, or even the delusion that his skin is crawling with imaginary bugs. The word is rooted in the Greek akari, "mite or tick," and phobos, "fear or terror."