noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/θəˌlæ.səʊˈfəʊ.bi.ə/
Received-Pronunciation:/θəˌlæ.səˈfəʊ.bi.ə/
General-American:/θəˌlæ.soʊˈfoʊ.bi.ə/
General-American:/θəˌlæ.səˈfoʊ.bi.ə/
rhymes with -əʊbiə
1
noun
Meaning 1
A morbid fear of the sea or, more generally, deep, large bodies of water such as lakes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
1937 George M. Gould. Anomalies and curiosities of medicine. Sydenham Publishers, New York Thalassophobia is the fear of the view of immense spaces or uninterrupted expanses. The Emperor Heraclius, at the age of fifty-nine, had an insurmountable fear of the view of the sea; and it is said that when he crossed the Bosphorus a bridge of boats was formed, garnished on both sides with plants and trees, obscuring all view of the water over which the Emperor peacefully traversed on horseback. The moralist Nicole, was equally a thalassophobe, and always had to close his eyes at the sight of a large sheet of water, when he was seized with trembling in all his limbs. Occasionally some accident in youth has led to an aversion to traversing large sheets of water, and there have been instances in which persons who have fallen into the water in childhood have all their lives had a terror of crossing bridges.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Ancient Greek θάλασσα (thálassa)lbor. English thalasso- Proto-Indo-European *bhegw- Ancient Greek φόβος (phóbos) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh2 Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -φοβία (-phobía)der. Latin New Latinbor. English -phobia English thalassophobia From thalasso- + -phobia.
Across languages
Translations
6 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
رُهَابُ ٱلْبَحْر
(ruhābu l-baḥr)
— fear of the sea or deep waters
German:
Thalassophobie
— fear of the sea or deep waters
Italian:
talassofobia
— fear of the sea or deep waters
Portuguese:
talassofobia
— fear of the sea or deep waters
Romanian:
talasofobie
— fear of the sea or deep waters
Spanish:
talasofobia
— fear of the sea or deep waters
