Noun: hydrophobia ,hI-dru'fow-bee-u
- A morbid fear of water
"His hydrophobia made it impossible for him to go near the swimming pool"
- An acute viral disease of the nervous system of warm-blooded animals (usually transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal); rabies is fatal if the virus reaches the brain
"The camper received hydrophobia shots after being bitten by a wild raccoon";
- rabies, lyssa [rare]
- A symptom of rabies in humans consisting of an aversion to swallowing liquids
"The patient's hydrophobia was a clear sign of advanced rabies"
Derived forms: hydrophobias
Type of: simple phobia, symptom, zoonosis, zoonotic disease
Encyclopedia: Hydrophobia