noun
vertigo
A fear of being in high places.
Her vertigo keeps her from stepping onto the observation deck.
Etymology
The Latin word means dizziness or whirling. Popular usage associates that sensation with heights and extends the name to fear of high places.
More examples
- Because of his vertigo, he avoids hiking along high ridges.
- My vertigo makes even a sturdy balcony feel frightening.
- She chooses a ground-floor room because of her vertigo.
Forms
vertigo
Similar words
- acrophobia
- Specifically names an intense fear of heights as a phobia.