hydrophobia
C1/C2Formal, Medical, Technical
Definition
Meaning
An extreme, irrational fear of water.
A symptom of rabies in humans, characterized by difficulty swallowing, panic when presented with liquids, and intense throat spasms.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a medical/clinical term. In non-medical contexts, it is a precise synonym for 'aquaphobia', but its association with the fear of water' (a psychological phobia) and 'a symptom of rabies' (a medical condition). In contemporary medical contexts, 'rabies' itself is more commonly specified than 'hydrophobia' for the disease.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is used identically in both varieties. The medical symptom is more likely to be referenced in historical or specialist texts.
Connotations
Strongly associated with the deadly disease rabies, giving it a grave and clinical connotation. The psychological sense is more technical/formal than everyday.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general discourse. Higher frequency in historical, medical, or veterinary contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
suffer from hydrophobiahydrophobia as a symptom ofpresent with hydrophobiaVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical, veterinary, and historical papers. Also in psychology texts discussing specific phobias.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used for dramatic effect to describe an intense fear.
Technical
Primary context. Used in medical diagnostics (for rabies) and psychiatric classification (as a specific phobia).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- After the incident, he developed a strong hydrophobia and refused to go near the pool.
- The most tell-tale symptom of advanced rabies in humans is hydrophobia, where the patient cannot drink water.
- Historical accounts of hydrophobia during rabies outbreaks describe scenes of profound horror and suffering.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HYDRO (water) + PHOBIA (fear) = Fear of water.
Conceptual Metaphor
FEAR IS A DISEASE / FEAR IS A LIQUID (that one cannot swallow).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- The Russian word 'гидрофобия' is a direct cognate but is used almost exclusively for the medical symptom of rabies, not for the general psychological phobia. The general fear of water is 'аквафобия' (aquaphobia).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'hydrophobia' to mean 'afraid of rain' or 'doesn't like swimming'. It denotes a severe, often pathological fear.
- Confusing it with 'hydrophobic', a chemical property meaning 'repelling water'.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'hydrophobia' used in a strictly technical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Hydrophobia is a specific, classic symptom of rabies in its final stages. Rabies is the viral disease itself.
No, that would be an incorrect exaggeration. Hydrophobia refers to a severe, irrational, and often pathological fear, not a simple dislike.
In modern psychology, they are often used synonymously for the phobia. However, 'hydrophobia' has the strong additional meaning as a symptom of rabies, while 'aquaphobia' is purely psychological.
As a psychological phobia (fear of water), it can be treated with therapy. As a symptom of rabies, it appears in the fatal stage of the disease where treatment is almost never successful.