Definition

Feeling intense fear or anxiety about spiders.

Example

She is arachnophobic and avoids places where spiders might be found.

Conversation

I just found out that my friend is arachnophobic and it surprised me.

Really? I didn't know that was a thing for him.

Yeah, he can't even look at pictures of spiders without freaking out.

That's wild! I wonder how he handles being outside then.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Arachnophobic → It is formed from "arachne" (from Greek ἀράχνη, meaning spider) and "phobia" (from Greek φόβος, meaning fear). The word describes a fear of spiders.

Memory Tip

Think of 'arachne' meaning spider and 'phobia' meaning fear — that's why arachnophobic means having a fear of spiders.

Visually Confused Words