Meanings
pedophobia1
alternative Commonwealth paedophobia
- USrareuncountablehuman sciencesAn irrational, obsessive fear or dislike of children.
In 1997, Mariemont asked her to teach at the elementary school, but she said she could not do so because of her pedophobia.
2015 February 11, Raymond Kethledge writing for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Waltherr-Willard v. Mariemont City Schools, case 14-31681 more example
Children embarrass us because they point ever too cleverly and clearly to our denial of personal, material, and maternal history. This accounts, in part, for academia's pedophobia and the hush-hush we maintain about parenting.
1998, Michael Rectenwald, “Reading around the Kids”, in Constance Coiner, Diana Hume George, The Family Track: Keeping Your Faculties While You Mentor, Nurture, Teach, and Serve, page 112
pedophobia2
alternative Commonwealth paedophobia
- USrareuncountableA fear or dislike of pedophiles.
>I suspect you're speaking only for yourself here, Pedophile. Pedophobia noted. Discrimination from a liberal? OMG!
2018 April 12, Sir Gregory Hall, Esq., “Re: AIN IT GREAT”, in soc.men (Usenet), archived from the original on 29 Sep 20252 more examples
That, I find disgraceful, On what grounds? Since when is right and wrong decided by your personal preferences? Pedophiles might accuse you of ‘pedophobia’. After all, there are the likes of philosopher Peter Singer who sees nothing wrong in infanticide or bestiality, yet the academic establishment rewarded these morally perverted views with a personal chair at Princeton.
2005 February 18, Jonathan Sarfati, “The disingenuous and anti-Christian nature of ‘gay rights’ rhetoric”, in Creation Ministries International, archived from the original on 19 Mar 2009Perhaps, in these days of homophobia, and pedophobia, ANYONE associated with the educational system that isn't totally straight, and moral, is considered a threat.
2007 October 20, Ron Hunter, “Character information from Jo [i.e., J. K. Rowling]”, in alt.fan.harry-potter (Usenet), archived from the original on 29 Sep 2025Synonyms: pedophilophobia, MAPmisia
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA fear or dislike of pedophiles.
Origin
pedophobia · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*peh₂w-
- Proto-Hellenic*pā́wits
- Ancient Greekπαιδ- (paid-)
- Englishpedo-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰil-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰil-o-s
- Ancient Greekφίλος (phílos)
- Ancient Greekπαῖς (paîs)
- Ancient Greekφῐ́λος (phĭ́los)
- Ancient Greekφῐλέω (phĭléō)
- Ancient Greekπαιδοφῐ́λης (paidophĭ́lēs)
- Englishpedophileclip.
- Englishpedo
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰógʷos
- Proto-Hellenic*pʰógʷos
- Ancient Greekφόβος (phóbos)
- Englishpedophobia
From pedo (“pedophile”) + -phobia.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
pedophobia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pedophobia
“pedophobia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pedophobia. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pedophobia,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pedophobia.
Source: pedophobia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.