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Glite Dictionary
nyctophobia

nyctophobia

1 9.9
A very strong fear of the dark that can cause panic
  • noun
  • /nɪkˈtoʊfəbiə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nictofobia
  • Nyctophobia!

Examples

  • He struggled with nyctophobia, preferring to stay indoors when it was dark.

  • I got nyctophobia.

    Session 9 (2001)

  • Agoraphobia, nyctophobia, hydrophobia, acrophobia.

    Fear Clinic (2014)

  • Her nyctophobia makes it difficult for her to go out at night.

  • People with nyctophobia often feel anxious when the sun sets.

Antonyms

comfort
190 1.0

A feeling of physical ease and being free from pain

calmness
9 2.7

A state without strong feelings or worry in your mind

How Fearful

nyctophobia
  • Specialized
1 9.9
unease
19 4.4

Surface Forms

nyctophobia singular
nyctophobias plural

Morphology

nyctophobia = phobia (semi-transparent) = nycto + phobia

The combining form 'nycto-' is a specialized Greek-derived form for 'night' that many learners will not know, but 'phobia' is a transparent base meaning 'fear'.

Etymology

Nyctophobia comes from Greek parts nyct- meaning 'night' and -phobia meaning 'fear', the same -phobia in claustrophobia. So nyctophobia is an extreme fear of the night or darkness.