selenophobia

S1E1L1E1N1O1P3H4O1B3I1A1
US/səˌli.nəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/

noun

An abnormal or irrational fear of the Moon.

Opposite
Scrabble 19

Meanings

nounselenophobia (countable and uncountable, plural selenophobias)

plural selenophobias

  1. countableuncountableAn abnormal or irrational fear of the Moon.
  2. countableuncountableA fear of selenium due to its perceived status as a carcinogen and toxin.
    1 more example

    […]the chronic use of dietary selenium supplementation or chronic ingestion of drinking water containing selenium slightly above normal or safe levels can facilitate the development of diabetes type 2 and neurodegenerative diseases. These observations do not indicate that we have returned to the era of selenophobia (the fear of selenium observed in the 20th century), but we have to be much more critical about the intentional or unintentional chronic use of selenium.

    2017, Joao B. T. Rocha, Claudia S. Oliveira, Pablo A. Nogara, “Toxicology and Anticancer Activity of Synthetic Organoselenium Compounds”, in Organoselenium Compounds in Biology and Medicine, Royal Society of Chemistry, page 349

    Antonyms: selenophilia

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA fear of selenium due to its perceived status as a carcinogen and toxin.

Opposite

Origin

  1. Ancient GreekΣελήνη“Moon”
  2. Englishselenophobia

From seleno- + -phobia, from Ancient Greek Σελήνη (Selḗnē, “Moon”) + φόβος (phóbos, “fear”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

selenophobia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selenophobia

MLA

“selenophobia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selenophobia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “selenophobia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/selenophobia.

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