Definition

Having an extreme fear or dislike of germs and dirt, often leading to excessive cleanliness or avoidance of situations where germs might be present.

Example

She is germophobic and always carries hand sanitizer with her.

Conversation

Have you noticed how germophobic Sarah has become lately?

Yeah, she's always carrying hand sanitizer now!

I get it, especially with all the news about germs.

True, but sometimes it feels a bit over the top!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Germophobic → It is formed from "germ" (from Latin *germen*, meaning sprout or bud) and "-phobic" (from Greek *phobos*, meaning fear). The word describes a fear of germs or microorganisms.

Memory Tip

Think of 'germ' as something that 'sprouts' and 'phobic' as a fear — so germophobic means having a fear of things that sprout, like germs.

Visually Confused Words