Crossword clues for acrophobia
acrophobia
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"morbid fear of heights," 1887, medical Latin, from Greek akros "at the end, the top" (see acrid) + -phobia "fear." Coined by Italian physician Dr. Andrea Verga in a paper describing the condition, from which Verga himself suffered.\n\nIn this paper, read somewhat over a year ago at the congress of alienists at Pavia, the author makes confession of his own extreme dread of high places. Though fearless of the contagion of cholera, he has palpitations on mounting a step-ladder, finds it unpleasant to ride on the top of a coach or to look out of even a first-story window, and has never used an elevator.
["American Journal of Psychology," Nov. 1888, abstract of Verga's report]
Wiktionary
n. fear of heights.
WordNet
n. a morbid fear of great heights
Wikipedia
Acrophobia (from the , ''ákron '', meaning "peak, summit, edge" and , phóbos, "fear") is an extreme or irrational fear or phobia of heights, especially when one is not particularly high up. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort, that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.
Most people experience a degree of natural fear when exposed to heights, known as the fear of falling. On the other hand, those who have little fear of such exposure are said to have a head for heights. A head for heights is advantageous for those hiking or climbing in mountainous terrain and also in certain jobs e.g. steeplejacks or wind turbine mechanics.
Acrophobia sufferers can experience a panic attack in high places and become too agitated to get themselves down safely. Approximately two percent of the general population suffers from acrophobia, with twice as many women affected as men.
Acrophobia is an online multiplayer word game. The game was originally conceived by Andrea Shubert, and programmed by Kenrick Mock and Michelle Hoyle in 1995. Originally available over Internet Relay Chat, the game has since been developed into a number of variants, as a download, playable through a browser, via Twitter or through Facebook.
Acrophobia is the name for a free-fall tower ride located at Six Flags Over Georgia in Austell. The attraction was designed by Intamin of Switzerland, and is marketed by Intamin's Liechtenstein-based subsidiary Ride Trade. When Acrophobia opened to the public in the spring of 2001, it became the first free-fall attraction of its kind in the world.
Usage examples of "acrophobia".
Glen, his stomach churning, his groin tingling, managed to follow only a few steps before he realized the acrophobia was going to win.
Glen to hover precariously in midair, all the terrors of his acrophobia came flooding back.
There I was, having the worst attack of acrophobia in history, and then wham!
But he said nothing, determined that today the acrophobia would not get the better of him.
It was wider than an urban walkway, so she could easily have gone upright, but her acrophobia refused to allow her to let go with her hands.
Limpkin was finally beginning to rid himself of his acrophobia and began to stroll around the deck.
It was a position that gave, strangely, the sensations of both claustrophobia and acrophobia at the same time.
Rudy shivered, at once repelled and curiously attracted, a fear that was oddly like acrophobia coming over him.
With her first coherent thought, finding herself blanketed by tons of stony carbon, Maia realized that there were indeed worse things than acrophobia or seasickness.
Although it was far lower than treetops he would have assayed without trepidation, he felt a momentary pang of acrophobia.