lilapsophobia

[ li-lap-suh-foh-bee-uh, lahy- ]

noun

, Psychiatry.

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of tornadoes or hurricanes, or of the possibility that a less severe storm will develop into such catastrophic weather: generally considered a form of astraphobia. Compare astraphobia.

Other Words From

• li·lap·so·pho·bic adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lilapsophobia¹

First recorded in 1975–80; from Greek laîlaps (inflectional stem laîlap- ) “violent storm, hurricane” + -o- ( def ) + -phobia ( def )