Etymology

-phobic

-phob·ic

Today it means: Used to form adjectives indicating a fear of a specific thing. Full definition →

Ancient Greek φόβος (phóbos) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰógʷos ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰógʷos
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰógʷos
  2. Proto-Hellenic*pʰógʷos
  3. Ancient Greekφόβος (phóbos)
  4. English today-phobic

From -phobia (from Late Latin -phobia, from Koine Greek -φοβία (-phobía), from φόβος (phóbos, “fear”)) + -ic.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.