claustrophobia

[ klaw-struh-foh-bee-uh ]

noun

, Psychiatry.

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of being in small or confined places and being unable to escape.

claustrophobia

/ ˌklɒs-; ˌklɔːstrəˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. an abnormal fear of being closed in or of being in a confined space

claustrophobia

1. An abnormal fear of being shut in or enclosed.

Derived Forms

• ˈclaustroˌphobe, noun

Other Words From

• claus·tro·pho·bic adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of claustrophobia¹

First recorded in 1875–80; from Latin claustr(um) “bolt” + -o- + -phobia; claustrum

Word History and Origins

Origin of claustrophobia¹

C19: from claustro-, from Latin claustrum cloister + -phobia

Example Sentences

When I stepped into his 6- by 13-foot cell, I had instant claustrophobia.

From The Daily Beast

Arachnophobia is an irrational fear of spiders and claustrophobia is an irrational fear of small places.

From The Daily Beast

You hear stories about going loopy from claustrophobia and stuff.

From Project Gutenberg

The cigar was his protection, his secret weapon, against the claustrophobia the mosquitero gave him.

From Project Gutenberg

I know it's horrible—many of our visitors suffer claustrophobia, but they just must be built that way.

From Project Gutenberg

Claustrophobia is the malady of those who have a horror of close quarters from which they can not easily make their escape.

From Project Gutenberg

To-day he was feeling the claustrophobia of London more acutely than usual.

From Project Gutenberg