teratophobia

== English == === Etymology === From terato- (“pertaining to birth defects”) +‎ -phobia (“fear”), from Ancient Greek τέρας (téras, “monster”). === Noun === teratophobia (uncountable) (rare) An irrational fear of monsters (terrifying creatures, or deformed children: see usage notes). For quotations using this term, see Citations:teratophobia. ==== Usage notes ==== Terato- originated at a time when deformed children were termed "monsters"; this practice is now archaic, but the prefix lives on. === Further reading === “teratophobia”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.