ailurophobia
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
- ailurophobic adjective
Etymology
Origin of ailurophobia
First recorded in 1905–10; from Greek aílouro(s) “cat” + -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.
Alfred Hitchcock was afraid of eggs; Julius Caesar, Napoleon and Alexander the Great were all afraid of cats — ailurophobia.
From New York Times • Aug. 5, 2016
Pop Psychologist Joyce Brothers regards ailurophobia, at least in its literary form, as a harmless put-on.
From Time Magazine Archive
The unaccountable fear of dogs is not so common as ailurophobia, although it is said that De Musset cordially detested them, and Goethe despised them, notwithstanding, forsooth, he kept a tame snake.
From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)
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.
