pyrophobia

American  

[pahy-ruh-foh-bee-uh] / ˌpaɪ rəˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of fire.

---

Other Word Forms

• pyrophobic adjective

Etymology

Origin of pyrophobia

First recorded in 1885–90; pyro- + -phobia

Explanation

Do you tremble nervously when someone suggests toasting marshmallows over a campfire? Or beg your mom not to light the candles on your birthday cake? If you're afraid of flames, you might have pyrophobia: an extreme fear of fire. Most of us are careful not to leave lit candles near the curtains or toss matches around the backyard, but if you have an irrational fear of fire, you've got pyrophobia. In some cases, pyrophobia results from a childhood accident with fire, but sometimes the cause isn't so clear. Someone with pyrophobia might feel dizzy, sweaty, or sick at the sight of flames. The Greek roots of the words are pyro, "fire," and phobos, "fear."

Example Sentences

I cannot tell you for sure whether this pyrophobia originated with The Secret Garden or the film merely fed into my existing fears, but it was a touchstone nonetheless.

From Slate • Oct. 30, 2020

You're free to load up Mors and Alester with perks, combat expertise and skills, but must counterbalance each with a corresponding foible, such as allergies, gout or pyrophobia.

From The Guardian • Jun. 7, 2012