How to Pronounce Phobia

Phobia is pronounced FOH-bee-uh. The stress falls on the first syllable, FOH, which should sound like the word "foe." The second and third syllables (bee-uh) are said more quickly and quietly.

Many people stress the second syllable and say foh-BEE-uh, but that's incorrect. Remember to put the emphasis on the first syllable: FOH-bee-uh.

Phobia is divided into three syllables: pho-bi-a. When you say it, blend them together smoothly: FOH-bee-uh.

Phobia comes from ancient Greek and is built from two parts: "phobos," which means fear, and the suffix "-ia," which means a condition or state. So the word literally means "a condition of fear."

A phobia is an intense, lasting fear of something specific—like heights, spiders, or flying. It's a stronger and more persistent fear than what most people experience.

Words like arachnophobia (fear of spiders), claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), and acrophobia (fear of heights) all contain the Greek root "phob-" meaning fear. The different prefixes at the beginning describe what specific thing is feared.

Here's an example: "She has a phobia of needles, so she feels very anxious before getting blood drawn." In this sentence, phobia describes a specific, intense fear.

Phobia doesn't have a standard medical abbreviation. The word itself is already fairly short, so medical professionals and everyday speakers usually just say or write the full word phobia.