haphephobia

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἁφή (haphḗ, “touch”) from ἅπτω (háptō, “I touch”) +‎ -phobia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌhæfɪˈfəʊbiə/

Noun

haphephobia (uncountable)

1. The fear of being touched.
   • 1894, Annual of the Universal Medical Sciences, volume 2, unnumbered page:

     It is necessary to distinguish haphephobia from the syndrome described under the name of délire de toucher, the emotional disturbance produced especially after contact.

   • 2011, E. L. James, Fifty Shades Darker, Vintage Books, published 2012, →ISBN, page 412:

     […] He realizes that his goal is a loving relationship with you. It's that simple, and that's what we're working on now. Of course there are obstacles—his haphephobia, for one."
     His what? I gasp.
     “I'm sorry. I mean his fear of being touched," Dr. Flynn says, shaking his head as if scolding himself. […]

   • 2013, Leesia Lindsay, “Paranormal Encounters”, in From Every Corner, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 10:

     My hair stood on end all over my body and my haphephobia, the fear of being touched, kicked into full gear.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:haphephobia.

Related terms

• haphephobic