Where does “clownophobia” come from?
clownophobia (English) comes from English ‐o‐, from English -prim, from English trimethoprim, from English trimethoxy, from English methoxy, from English oxy-, from English oxygen, from French oxygène — to produce, to beget, to give birth.
clownophobia (English): The fear of clowns
Definitions
- The fear of clowns
Ancestry of “clownophobia”, step by step
clownophobia traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ‐o‐
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ‐o‐ | — |
| 2 | English | -prim | Used to form names of trimethoprim derivatives acting as |
| 3 | English | trimethoprim | A synthetic antibiotic used to treat malaria and... |
| 4 | English | trimethoxy | Three methoxy groups in a molecule |
| 5 | English | methoxy | The univalent radical CH-O- derived from methanol |
| 6 | English | oxy- | Sharp, keen, acute, pungent, acid; Concerning... |
| 7 | English | oxygen | The chemical element with an atomic number of 8... |
| 8 | French | oxygène | oxygen; inflection of oxygéner: ##... |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | γένος | offspring, descendant; family, clan; nation, race |
| 10 | Proto-Hellenic | génos | family; race |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵénh₁os | race, lineage |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵenh₁- | to produce, to beget, to give birth |
via English clown
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clown | A slapstick performance artist often associated... |
| 2 | English | clowne | OS grid ref SK4975 |
| 3 | Old Welsh | *Colün | — |
| 4 | Old English | īeġ | island |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | auwju | floodplain; meadow; island |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | awjō | floodplain; meadow; island |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | agwjō | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ékʷeh₂ | water |