Where does “acrophobia” come from?
acrophobia (English) comes from English acro-, from Ancient Greek ἄκρος, from Ancient Greek ὦμος, from Proto-Indo-European h₃émōs — shoulder.
acrophobia (English): Fear of heights
Ancestry of “acrophobia”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | acro- | sharp; tip; extremity |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἄκρος | At the edge, extreme, beginning, end: outermost;... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ὦμος | the shoulder with the upper arm |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃émōs | shoulder |