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logophobia

/ˌloʊgəˈfoʊbiə/
IPA guide

Someone with logophobia has such a strong fear of words that it greatly limits everyday life. There may be certain words they can't bear to hear or read, or they may avoid conversation or reading altogether because of anxiety about these activities.

Logophobia is made from the combining forms logo, meaning "word," and phobia, meaning "fear." Both come from Greek. Some people with logophobia, whose fear is triggered by specific words, associate them with horrible experiences from their past. Others feel extremely anxious about speaking with others in case they say or understand words incorrectly, so they avoid conversation. And some avoid any written words because they haven’t learned to read, and feel very anxious when confronted with that fact. Logophobic is the adjective describing someone with logophobia.

Definitions of logophobia
  1. noun
    fear of specific words or of words generally, spoken or written
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