lyssophobia
Americannoun
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an irrational or disproportionate fear of going insane.
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an extreme fear of rabies.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lyssophobia
First recorded in 1885–90; from Greek lyss(a) “rage, rabies, madness” + -o- + -phobia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When the poison has actually invaded the brain, this can be looked on as a palliative measure only, but in the many cases of lyssophobia it may put an instant stop to the affection.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
Men doubtless occasionally develop lyssophobia under such an influence, but animals do not contract genuine rabies.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
The most difficult to distinguish from the genuine disease are those cases in which hydrophobia occurs as a disease of the imagination, the result of fear—the lyssophobia or hydrophobie non-rabique of the writers.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
