Arachnophobia
/əˌræk.nəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/noun
An intense or irrational fear of spiders.
Did you know?The word’s first element comes from Arachne, the gifted mortal weaver whom Athena transformed into a spider in Greek mythology.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
arákhnē
“Spider; also the name Arachne, the mythic weaver transformed into a spider”
Ancient Greek
Greek
phóbos
“Fear, panic, or dread; personified as a spirit of fear”
19th Century
Scientific English
arachnid
“A member of the spider and scorpion group, built from the same Greek root arákhnē”
Late 19th Century
Scientific English
-phobia
“A combining form meaning fear or aversion, derived from Greek phóbos”
Early 20th Century
English
arachnophobia
“A clinical term for fear of spiders, recorded in modern medical and psychological usage”
Explore more surprising origins