-phobic

-phob·ic
UK/-ˈfəʊbɪk/US/-ˈfoʊbɪk/

suffix

Used to form adjectives indicating a fear of a specific thing.

“homophobic”

Similar
-phobiac-phobe
Opposite
-philiac-philic-philous-phile
OriginAncient Greek φόβος (phóbos) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰógʷos ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰógʷos →
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Meanings

suffix-phobic (adjective-forming suffix, comparative more -phobic, superlative most -phobic)

comparative more -phobic · superlative most -phobic · plural -phobics

  1. Used to form adjectives indicating a fear of a specific thing.

    claustrophobic

  2. Used to form adjectives indicating a dislike or aversion.

    homophobic

    1 more example

    bibliophobic

  3. Used in biology and chemistry to mean a natural repulsion or avoidance.

    oleophobic

    1 more example

    photophobic

  4. Used as a synonym of -phobe to form nouns.

    Synonyms: -phobiac, -phobe

Synonyms & antonyms

suffixUsed as a synonym of -phobe to form nouns.

Similar
-phobiac-phobe

antonym(s) of “forming adjectives”

Opposite
-philiac-philic-philous

antonym(s) of “forming nouns”

Opposite
-phile
Also see
-phobe-phobiac

Origin

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

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

More words from Late Latin, Koine Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian -фоби́чен, -фо́бски
  • -фоби́чен (-fobíčen)fear
  • -фо́бски (-fóbski)dislike or aversion
Catalan -fob, -fob
  • -fobfear
  • -fobdislike or aversion
Finnish -fobinen, -fobinen
  • -fobinenfear
  • -fobinendislike or aversion
French -phobe, -phobe
  • -phobefear
  • -phobedislike or aversion
German -phob
  • -phobfear
Polish -fobiczny, -fobiczny
  • -fobicznyfear
  • -fobicznydislike or aversion
Spanish -fobo, -fobo
  • -fobofear
  • -fobodislike or aversion

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with -phobic

homophobicphobicxenophobicacephobicbarophobicemetophobichodophobicwhorephobic
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

-phobic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-phobic

MLA

“-phobic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-phobic. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-phobic,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-phobic.

Source: -phobic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.