hydrophobia

American  

[hahy-druh-foh-bee-uh] / ˌhaɪ drəˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

1. an extreme dread or fear of water, especially when associated with painful involuntary throat spasms from a rabies infection.

2. rabies.

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hydrophobia British  

/ ˌhaɪdrəˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. another name for rabies

2. a fear of drinking fluids, esp that of a person with rabies, because of painful spasms when trying to swallow Compare aquaphobia

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hydrophobia Scientific  

/ hī′drə-fō′bē-ə /

1. Abnormal fear of water.

2. Rabies.

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Word History

Hydrophobia is an older term for the disease rabies, and it means “fear of water.” Because of this name, many people think that rabies makes one afraid of water. In fact, this is not the case (although rabies does cause mental confusion of other kinds). The name hydrophobia comes from the fact that animals and people with rabies get spasms in their throat muscles that are so painful that they cannot eat or drink, and so will refuse water in spite of being very thirsty.

Other Word Forms

• hydrophobic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of hydrophobia

First recorded in 1540–50; from Late Latin, from Greek hydrophobía; see origin at hydro- ¹, -phobia

Explanation

Foaming at the mouth? Terrified of drinking water? You're displaying all the signs of hydrophobia, a common symptom of rabies. Unfortunately by this point you're probably beyond curing. Or reading online definitions. Take hydro (meaning "water") and phobia (meaning "fear") and you have hydrophobia — a fear of water. This could be a purely psychological issue that started in the lake at summer camp, or it could be physically motivated by disease — such as rabies.

Example Sentences

Hydrophobia is an acute infectious disease communicated to man by the bite of an animal suffering from rabies.

From Mother's Remedies Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers of the United States and Canada by Ritter, Thomas Jefferson

Hydrophobia is rare, and the people have many superstitions about it.

From Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah — Volume 1 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

Hydrophobia was raging at Long Pelaban, and during my stay one man and seven children were bitten.

From Through Central Borneo; an Account of Two Years' Travel in the Land of Head-Hunters Between the Years 1913 and 1917 by Lumholtz, Carl

Hydrophobia, communicable between man and the lower animals.

From The Descent of Man by Darwin, Charles

Examples of such diseases are:—Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Small Pox, Cholera, Yellow Fever, Tuberculous Disease, Ague, Hydrophobia, Cattle Plague, Anthrax; and many others might be enumerated whose dependence upon parasitic Germs is almost conclusively proved. 

From Addresses & Papers / Collectanea by Eade, Peter