pedophobia

P3E1D2O1P3H4O1B3I1A1

noun

An irrational, obsessive fear or dislike of children.

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Scrabble 20

Meanings

pedophobia1

nounpedophobia (uncountable)

alternative Commonwealth paedophobia

  1. 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 14-3168
    1 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

nounpedophobia (uncountable)

alternative Commonwealth paedophobia

  1. 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 2025
    2 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 2009

    Perhaps, 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 2025

    Synonyms: pedophilophobia, MAPmisia

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA fear or dislike of pedophiles.

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Origin

pedophobia · noun

From pedo- (“child”) + -phobia.

Full word history & related roots →

pedophobia · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*peh₂w-
  2. Proto-Hellenic*pā́wits
  3. Ancient Greekπαιδ- (paid-)
  4. Englishpedo-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*bʰil-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰil-o-s
  7. Ancient Greekφίλος (phílos)
  8. Ancient Greekπαῖς (paîs)
  9. Ancient Greekφῐ́λος (phĭ́los)
  10. Ancient Greekφῐλέω (phĭléō)
  11. Ancient Greekπαιδοφῐ́λης (paidophĭ́lēs)
  12. Englishpedophileclip.
  13. Englishpedo
  14. Proto-Indo-European*bʰógʷos
  15. Proto-Hellenic*pʰógʷos
  16. Ancient Greekφόβος (phóbos)
  17. Englishpedophobia

From pedo (“pedophile”) + -phobia.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pedophobia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pedophobia

MLA

“pedophobia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pedophobia. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pedophobia,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pedophobia.

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