A rich vocabulary is absolutely essential for many entrance exams like GMAT, GRE, CAT etc. Learning vocabulary can be boring and tedious. The best way to approach vocabulary is through specific topics. Combining this technique with roots, prefixes and suffixes makes the task fun and interesting.
The word ‘phobia originates from the Greek word ‘phobos’, meaning ‘fear’. Today we take it to mean fear combined with a sense of panic. The fear is overpowering to the degree that a person tends to panic when coming across the thing which scare them.
The Greek word ‘mania’ is used as such in the English language. It stands for‘madness’. It is also taken to mean ‘a passion, a craze.’ Both the words are also used as suffixes.
In this article we look at the etymology of the phobias and manias and also look at more words derived using the root, combined with other Greek and some Latin words.
- Acrophobia: Acrophobia is the fear of heights. It is coined from the Greek roots ‘akros’ meaning ‘at the end’, ‘at the top’ or ‘the tip’ combined with ‘phobos’. More words using the root ‘acro’ – acrobat, acromania.
- Agrophobia: Agrophobia is the fear of open spaces. The word is derived by combining the root (Greek) ‘agros’ meaning ‘open space’ with ‘phobos’ being used as a suffix. More words using the root ‘agora’ are – agronomy, agronomics, agrochemical.
- Algophobia: Algophobia is the fear of pain. The word is obtained by the root ‘algos’ meaning ‘pain’ with the suffix ‘phobos’. Other words using the root ‘algos’ are – algometer, algolagnia.
- Claustrophobia: Claustrophobia is a morbid fear of closed places. The word is a combination of the Latin root ‘claud’ meaning ‘to close’ combined with ‘phobos’. More words using the root are – claustral, claustrum, cloister.
- Gamophobia: Gamophobia is a morbid fear of being married. The word is obtained by combining the root ‘gamos’ meaning marriage with the suffix ‘phobos’. More words using the root are – polygamy, bigamy.
- Ophidiophobia: Ophidiphiobia is a morbid fear of snakes and reptiles. The word is derived by combining the Greek root ‘ophites’ meaning serpentine, with the root ‘phobos’. The other words using the root ‘ophites’ are- ophidian, ophite, ophiology.
- Treiskaidekaphobia: It is the fear of number thirteen. It is one of the most prevalent of the phobias. The word is a combination of the Greek root ‘treiskaideka’ meaning ‘thirteen’ combined with ‘phobos’.
- Xenophobia: Xenophobia is the fear of foreigners or strangers. It is a combination of the Greek root ‘xenos’ meaning ‘foreign or stranger’ with ‘phobos’. More words using the root ‘xenos’- xenomania, xenogamy
The roots that we have covered till this stage are- ‘phobos’ , ‘mania’, ‘acro’, ‘agro’, ‘xenos’, ‘triskaideka’, ‘algos’, ‘ophite’, ‘gamos’, ‘claustrum’