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-phobic
2- a combining form used to form adjectives corresponding to nouns ending in -phobe:
acrophobic; photophobic.
phobic
/ ˈfəʊbɪk /
adjective
- of, relating to, or arising from a phobia
noun
- a person suffering from a phobia
Other Words From
- non·pho·bic adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of phobic1
Example Sentences
She will allow that over the years her initially phobic view of Germans has moderated.
If Leonard was your boyfriend, you would call him commitment-phobic: he recorded and recorded but seemed never to release.
We are phobic about flying, but not about driving - although driving is vastly more dangerous.
On cue, they were eaten by the vitamin- and-fiber-phobic comedian.
As any bride-to-be knows, men can be notoriously commitment phobic.
Are you depressed (see 5, Table 1) or phobic (see 4.2, Table 1)?
These are people too hesitant, or phobic to commit themselves to the assumption of any kind of risk.
With tobacco-phobic pamphlets by the learnd prigs who fight you!
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Words That Use -phobic
What does -phobic mean?
The combining form -phobic is used like a suffix to create the adjective form of words ending in -phobe, a form that roughly means “someone with a fear.” In other words, -phobic means “of, relating to, or characteristic of something with a fear.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in psychology and biology.
The form -phobic is made from a combination of two combining forms. The first is -phobe, from Greek phóbos, meaning “fear” or “panic.” The second form is the suffix -ic. The suffix -ic ultimately comes from Greek -ikos, an ending used to form adjectives.
What are variants of –phobic?
While -phobic doesn’t have any variants, it is related to two other combining forms: -phobia and -phobe. Want to know more? Check out our Words that Use articles for each form.
Examples of -phobic
An example of a word you may have encountered that features -phobic is agoraphobic, “of, relating to, or characteristic of an irrational or disproportionate fear of being in crowds, public places, or open areas.”
The agora- part of the word comes from Greek agorā́, meaning “assembly” or “marketplace,” while -phobic means “relating to something with a phobia.” Agoraphobic literally translates to “relating to a fear of the marketplace.”
What are some words that use the combining form –phobic?
What are some other forms that -phobic may be commonly confused with?
Break it down!
The combining form hydro- means “water.” With this in mind, what does the scientific term hydrophobic mean in everyday language?
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