Lesbophobia
/ˌlɛz.bəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/noun
Prejudice, hostility, or fear directed toward lesbians or lesbian identity.
Did you know?The “lesbo-” element ultimately comes from Lesbos, the island associated with the poet Sappho, whose surviving poetry helped give “lesbian” its modern sense.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Λέσβος (Lésbos)
“Lesbos, an island in the northeastern Aegean Sea”
7th–6th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Λέσβιος (Lésbios)
“Of or belonging to Lesbos; associated with the island and its inhabitants”
Classical Greek
Ancient Greek
φόβος (phóbos)
“Fear, panic, or terror”
19th Century
English
lesbian
“A woman sexually or romantically attracted to women; developed from the name of Lesbos through associations with Sappho”
Late 19th Century
English
-phobia
“A combining form meaning fear or aversion, from Greek phóbos”
20th Century
English
lesbophobia
“A modern formation for prejudice, hostility, or fear directed toward lesbians”
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