A–Z list of phobias, fears and their meanings

Hens or roosters can be the focus, including seeing them or anticipating an encounter.

Possible triggers

Visiting a farm with chickens, seeing a hen approach or entering an area with free-roaming chickens.

Name origin

From Greek alektor (rooster) and phobos (fear).

A fear of children can affect everyday situations involving crying baby, kids running, babies and toddlers. It may lead to avoiding interaction, rehearsing what to say, monitoring other people’s reactions, or replaying encounters afterwards.

Possible triggers

Attending a gathering with children, entering a busy play area or anticipating interaction with a child.

Name origin

From Greek pais (child) and -phobia.

A fear of cockroaches can affect everyday situations involving kitchen roach, cockroach, roach and infestation. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Noticing a cockroach in a room, seeing one move across a floor or encountering close-up footage.

Name origin

From Greek katsarida (cockroach) and -phobia.

A fear of dogs can affect parks, pavements, visiting other people’s homes and places where a dog may be off the lead. It may lead to changing routes, scanning ahead, asking whether a dog will be present or leaving when barking or an approaching dog feels too close.

Possible triggers

Examples include hearing a dog bark nearby, watching a dog on screen or visiting somewhere a dog might be present.

Name origin

From Greek kyon (dog) and -phobia.

Also known as

Kynophobia

Dryness is the focus of this descriptive term. The name alone does not identify a particular cause or mean that every warm environment will feel difficult.

Possible triggers

Entering a very dry room, seeing parched ground, or anticipating time in an arid environment.

Possible name origin

Greek xeros means dry or arid and gives the combining form xero. Phobia comes from Greek phobos, fear.

The concern can involve feathers themselves, pictures or feathered objects, or the thought of being touched by a feather.

Possible triggers

Finding a loose feather, touching a feather-filled item or encountering feathers in a display.

Name origin

From Greek pteron (feather or wing) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of fire can affect cooking, candles, fireplaces, bonfires and even the smell or sight of smoke. It may lead to repeated checking of appliances, avoiding open flames, leaving situations early or organising routines around preventing any contact with fire-related cues.

Possible triggers

Seeing a lit candle, noticing an open flame or being near a fireplace.

Name origin

From Greek pyr (fire) and -phobia.

A fear of fish can affect everyday situations involving live fish, dead fish, fish market and aquarium. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Standing near an aquarium, seeing fish in a pond or encountering a fish display at a market.

Name origin

From Greek ichthys (fish) and -phobia.

Flooding is the focus, rather than water in every setting.

Possible triggers

Receiving a flood warning, seeing water levels rise or watching flood footage.

Name origin

Combines antlo- (flood) with -phobia (fear).

A fear of flowers can affect everyday situations involving garden flowers, floral smell, bouquet and pollen. It may lead to avoidance, checking, reassurance-seeking or changing everyday routines so that contact with the trigger feels less likely.

Possible triggers

Receiving a bouquet, entering a florist's shop or sitting beside a flowering plant.

Name origin

From Greek anthos (flower) and -phobia.