Nyctophobia

Nyctophobia
Pathological fear of the dark, an abnormal and persistent dread of the dark. Sufferers experience anxiety even though they may rationally realize that the dark does not pose a threat commensurate with their fear. Formed from the Greek "nyx" (night) and the Greek "phobos" (fear). "Nyx" has also contributed to other medical terms such as "nyctalopia" (night blindness) and "nyctanopia" (impaired vision in dim light and in the dark). Another term for fear of the dark is scotophobia.
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Morbid fear of night or of the dark. SYN: scotophobia. [nycto- + G. phobos, fear]

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nyc·to·pho·bia -'fō-bē-ə n abnormal fear of darkness

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n.
extreme fear of the dark. It is common in children and not unusual in normal adults.

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nyc·to·pho·bia (nik″to-foґbe-ə) [nycto- + phobia] irrational fear of darkness.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • nyctophobia — (n.) medical Latin, from NYCTO (Cf. nycto ) night + PHOBIA (Cf. phobia) fear. Related: Nyctophobic …   Etymology dictionary

  • nyctophobia — [nik΄tə fō′bē ə] n. [ NYCTO + PHOBIA] an unnatural or excessive fear of darkness or night …   English World dictionary

  • Nyctophobia — Scotophobia redirects here. For the hatred, fear or envy of Scotland, or people or things from the country, see Anti Scottish sentiment. Nyctophobia is a phobia characterized by a severe fear of the darkness. It is triggered by the brain’s… …   Wikipedia

  • nyctophobia — /nik teuh foh bee euh/, n. Psychiatry. an abnormal fear of night or darkness. [NYCTO + PHOBIA] * * * …   Universalium

  • nyctophobia — noun A fear of the night, nighttime or darkness. Syn: noctiphobia, scotophobia …   Wiktionary

  • nyctophobia — fear of the night or darkness Phobias …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • nyctophobia — n. fear of the night; fear of darkness …   English contemporary dictionary

  • nyctophobia — [ˌnɪktə(ʊ) fəʊbɪə] noun extreme or irrational fear of the night or of darkness. Origin C19: from Gk nux, nukt night + phobia …   English new terms dictionary

  • nyctophobia — n. extreme fear of the dark. It is common in children and not unusual in normal adults …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • nyctophobia — A fear of darkness or night …   Grandiloquent dictionary

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