arachnophobia

American  

[uh-rak-nuh-foh-bee-uh] / əˌræk nəˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of spiders.

---

arachnophobia British  

/ əˌræknəˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. an abnormal fear of spiders

---

Other Word Forms

• arachnophobe noun
• arachnophobic adjective

Etymology

Origin of arachnophobia

First recorded in 1925–30; from Greek aráchn(ē) “spider” + -o- ( def. ) + -phobia

Example Sentences

It goes without saying, but this series is not for anyone afflicted with arachnophobia.

From Los Angeles Times

If you suffer from arachnophobia, this is the time of year when you’re most likely to run into one of your worst nightmares: a tarantula.

From Los Angeles Times

One example is a new setting that allows players with severe arachnophobia to remove the eight-legged creatures - which feature heavily in the world - from the game.

From BBC

In less time than it takes to say “arachnophobia,” it will escape, reproduce like a bandit and send its deadly progeny scampering into every unsealed nook and cranny.

From New York Times

How is spider misinformation related to the prevalence of arachnophobia?

From New York Times