germaphobe

G2E1R1M3A1P3H4O1B3E1

noun

One who suffers from germophobia.

OriginAncient Greek φόβος (phóbos) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰógʷos ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰógʷos →
Scrabble 20
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noungermaphobe (plural germaphobes)

plural germaphobes

  1. alternativeAlternative form of germophobe.
    1. One who suffers from germophobia.

      Well, President Trump is a germaphobe. He’s not going to get a chip in the brain. He’s a germaphobe. Shaking hands was a big deal. I don’t think you’re going to get a chip in the brain.

      2025 January 31, Ross Douthat, quoting Steve Bannon, “Steve Bannon on ‘Broligarchs’ vs. Populism”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
      1 more example

      It pours in convincingly physical and choking. Rot and garbage and sewage—wet, sour, thick. It fills the coffin, fills his lungs, fills his head. […] He hadn't told the interviewer back in the red tent about being a germaphobe.

      2026, James Patterson and Mr. Beast [pseudonym; Jimmy Donaldson], The Most Dangerous Games, pages 400-401

Origin

  1. Englishgerm
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰógʷos
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰógʷos
  4. Ancient Greekφόβος (phóbos)
  5. Englishgermaphobe

From germ + -a- + -phobe.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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