zoophobia

American  

[zoh-uh-foh-bee-uh] / ˌzoʊ əˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of animals.

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zoophobia British  

/ zəʊˈɒfəbəs, ˌzəʊəˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. an unusual or morbid dread of animals

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Other Word Forms

• zoophobic adjective
• zoophobous adjective

Etymology

Origin of zoophobia

First recorded in 1900–05; zoo- + -phobia

Explanation

When someone is deeply afraid of animals — whether that fear relates to mice, cats, or elephants — they suffer from zoophobia. If you have zoophobia, you probably shouldn't pursue a career as a veterinarian. This word's roots couldn't be more clear: zoo- relates to animals, from the Greek zoion, and phobia means "irrational fear," also from a Greek root, phobos. Some people with zoophobia are terrified of every non-human animal, although it's more common for zoophobia to relate to a single type of animal, like alligators or lions. In any case, if you suffer from zoophobia, the idea of visiting the zoo likely fills you with dread.