Cynophobia

/ˌsɪnəˈfoʊbiə/ noun

Definition

An intense, irrational fear of dogs that can cause significant anxiety or avoidance behavior.

Etymology

From Greek 'cyno-' meaning dog and 'phobia' meaning fear; 'phobia' derives from 'phobos' (fear) and is used in English to describe specific, often irrational fears.

Kelly Says

Cynophobia affects millions of people worldwide and is interesting because dogs are generally less dangerous than many animals we encounter—it might relate to how dog bites have shaped human evolution over thousands of years.

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