gelotophobia

English

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek γέλως (gélōs, “laughter”) + -phobia.

Noun

gelotophobia (uncountable)

1. An abnormal and persistent fear of being laughed at.
   • 2008, Victor Raskin, The primer of humor research, page 54:

     Titze sees Gelotophobia as a clinical category, […]

   • 2011, Ted Gournelos, Viveca Greene, A Decade of Dark Humor, page 222:

     Studies of gelotophobia. It turns out that gelotophobes have difficulty distinguishing between situations in which they are the butts of gentle mockery and those in which […]

   • 2011, Luciano L'Abate, Hurt Feelings: Theory, Research, and Applications, page 68:

     […] associated with higher gelotophobia mean scores.

Related terms

• gelotophobe
• gelotophobic