acrophobia
pronunciation
How to pronounce acrophobia in British English:
UK [ˌækrə'fəʊbɪə]
How to pronounce acrophobia in American English:
US [ˌækrəˈfobiə]
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- Noun:
- a morbid fear of great heights
Word Origin
- acrophobia (n.)
- "morbid fear of heights," 1887, medical Latin, from Greek akros "at the end, the top" (see acrid) + -phobia "fear." Coined by Italian physician Dr. Andrea Verga in a paper describing the condition, from which Verga himself suffered. In this paper, read somewhat over a year ago at the congress of alienists at Pavia, the author makes confession of his own extreme dread of high places. Though fearless of the contagion of cholera, he has palpitations on mounting a step-ladder, finds it unpleasant to ride on the top of a coach or to look out of even a first-story window, and has never used an elevator. ["American Journal of Psychology," Nov. 1888, abstract of Verga's report]
Example
- 1. Suffering from acrophobia ; abnormally afraid of high places .
- 2. Day 7 - shopping , shopping , sudden acrophobia ?
- 3. Do you know how to overcome acrophobia ?
- 4. I 've conquered acrophobia once and for all after the bungee jumping .
- 5. Having heart disease , hypertension or acrophobia or feeling bad .