Definition

A person who has a fear or dislike of animals.

Example

She is a zoophobe and feels anxious around pets.

Conversation

Did you hear about Sarah? She's such a zoophobe that she can't even watch animal documentaries.

Really? I didn’t know it was that bad for her.

Yeah, she gets really anxious around pets too.

That must make it tough for her to visit friends with animals.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Zoophobe → It is formed from "zoo" (from Greek "zōion", meaning animal) and "phobe" (from Greek "phobos", meaning fear). The word describes someone who has a fear of animals.

Memory Tip

Think of 'zoo' which relates to animals and 'phobe' meaning fear — this helps you remember that a zoophobe is someone who fears animals.

Visually Confused Words