What does coulrophobia mean?
abnormal fear of clowns
Definition of coulrophobia : abnormal fear of clowns The term for fear of clowns—coulrophobia—is of fairly recent invention, coined, perhaps, as enough grownups found they were not alone in lingering childhood queasiness over exposure to big people dressed like Bozo.—
Is coulrophobia in the Oxford English Dictionary?
August 14, 2020. The most unusual entry from among the nearly 600 that were added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in March of this year was coulrophobia, defined in the dictionary as “Extreme or irrational fear of clowns”. However, fears do not have to be irrational.
What is the word for being scared of clowns?
A fear of clowns, called coulrophobia (pronounced “coal-ruh-fow-bee-uh”), can be a debilitating fear. A phobia is and intense fear of a certain object or scenario that impacts behavior and sometimes daily life. Phobias are often a deep-rooted psychological response tied to a traumatic event in someone’s past.
Is coulrophobia a real word?
What does coulrophobia mean? Coulrophobia is the abnormal fear of clowns. Some people have phobias, which are fears associated with specific objects or activities. These abnormal (unusual) fears are typically considered irrational (not based on reason) because the object of the fear isn’t usually harmful.
Where does coulrophobia come from?
word-forming element meaning “excessive or irrational fear, horror, or aversion,” from Latin -phobia and directly from Greek -phobia “panic fear of,” from phobos “fear” (see phobia). In widespread popular use with native words from c. 1800.
Where did coulrophobia originate?
The -phobia part comes from a Greek word meaning “fear.” The first part of coulrophobia is likely based on the Greek word kolon, meaning “limb,” perhaps in reference to stilts, which many clowns walk on in circus acts. (Yes, this makes them even creepier.)
Why is fear of clowns so common?
Having a clinical phobia of clowns is rare, but it does exist. For most people, a fear of clowns is probably a combination of human psychology, mixed signals and pop culture. If you or someone you know experiences extreme fear and panic of something that is ultimately harmless, you may have a phobia.
How do you overcome coulrophobia?
There isn’t a specific coulrophobia treatment. If the phobia disrupts your quality of life, exposure therapy with a mental health professional may help. Exposure therapy is a type of psychotherapy or talk therapy. It can help as many as 9 in 10 people overcome specific phobias.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMktnClgQQI