Pithecophobia
/ˌpɪθ.ə.kəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/noun
An irrational fear of apes or monkeys.
Did you know?Pithecophobia reveals our deep-seated anxieties about our evolutionary relatives, reflecting the tension between humanity and its animalistic roots.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
πίθηκος (píthēkos)
“ape or monkey.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
φόβος (phóbos)
“fear, panic, or dread.”
19th Century
English
pithecophobia
“a coined term combining the Greek roots for ape and fear.”
Modern English
English
pithecophobia
“the established term for an irrational fear of monkeys, used in psychology.”
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