noun
hydrophobia
Rabies, especially with difficulty swallowing liquids.
The doctor recognizes hydrophobia when attempts to swallow trigger spasms.
Etymology
The name joins water with fear. Rabies can make swallowing trigger painful spasms, producing the apparent fear or avoidance of water that gave the illness this name.
More examples
- Older medical records often call rabies hydrophobia.
- Hydrophobia can follow a bite from a rabid animal.
- A patient with hydrophobia may struggle to drink water.
Forms
hydrophobia
Similar words
- rabies
- The usual medical name, without emphasizing difficulty swallowing liquids.