A term from the Greek for fear or dread; in keeping
with this etymology specific phobias are properly given Greek root qualifiers,
e.g., pyrophobia = fear of fire, nyctophobia = fear of the night, etc. In
standard psychiatric work, a reaction requires several factors before it is
properly classified as a phobia. Specifically, the fear must be a compelling
need to flee or avoid the phobic object or situation, and the fear must be
irrational, not based on sound
judgment.