How to Pronounce Laliophobia
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Laliophobia Pronunciation
lay-lee-oh-FOH-bee-ah
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
lay
lee
oh
FOH
stress here
bee
ah
6 syllables
What is Laliophobia?
An intense fear of speaking or of stuttering when speaking. Also called lalophobia, it is a specific social phobia that causes extreme anxiety about verbal communication, particularly in front of an audience or in conversation.
Questions About Laliophobia
How do you pronounce laliophobia?
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Laliophobia is pronounced "lay-lee-oh-FOH-bee-ah." The stress falls on the fourth syllable, which is "FOH." It's important to emphasize that FOH sound, or the word can sound rushed or unclear.
What are the syllables in laliophobia?
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Laliophobia breaks into five syllables: la-li-o-pho-bi-a. Each syllable is roughly equal in length, though the "FOH" syllable gets the strongest emphasis when you say the whole word.
Which syllable do you stress when saying laliophobia?
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You stress the fourth syllable: "FOH." A common mistake is stressing the third syllable ("oh") instead, which makes the word sound wrong. Remember: lay-lee-oh-FOH-bee-ah.
What does laliophobia mean in everyday language?
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Laliophobia simply means an intense fear of speaking or fear of stuttering while speaking. In everyday terms, it's a strong anxiety about verbal communication, whether in casual conversation or in front of a group.
Where does the word laliophobia come from?
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The word comes from two Greek roots: "lalia," which means "speech" or "talking," and "phobos," which means "fear." Put together, it literally translates to "fear of speech."
What is an alternative name for laliophobia?
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Laliophobia is also called "lalophobia" (pronounced "lal-oh-FOH-bee-ah"). Both words mean the same thing and come from the same Greek root for speech, just with slightly different spelling and pronunciation.
Are there other medical words that use the phobos root?
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Yes, many phobias share the "phobos" (fear) root, such as arachnophobia (fear of spiders), claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), and agoraphobia (fear of open spaces). Any word ending in "-phobia" contains this Greek root for fear.
How would you use laliophobia in a sentence?
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Here's an example: "The medical term laliophobia describes a severe fear of public speaking." You might also hear it in a sentence like: "Her laliophobia made presentations at work very challenging for her."

