Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An abnormal fear of mites, other small insects, or worms.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun medicine the fear of itching or of insects that cause itching

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a morbid fear of small insects and mites and worms

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[acar(id) + –phobia.]

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Examples

  • In each case, I leave it to the reader to supply the words "fear of." acarophobia mites, parasites entonophobia ticks aelurophobia cats galeophobia sharks apiophobia bees hippophobia horses arachnephobia spiders musophobia mice bacilliphobia bacilli myrmecophobia lice bacteriaphobia bacteria soleciphobia worms batrachophobia frogs, toads swinophobia swine cynophobia dogs taeniophobia tapeworms eisoptrophobia termites taurophobia bulls A much smaller cluster of fears is centered on the plant world.

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol X No 1 1983

Comments

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  • JM understands acarophobia is just scratching the surface

    November 16, 2009