agoraphobia

Where does the word "agoraphobia" come from? It comes from Greek agora, passing through Greek and German before entering English (1873).

Agoraphobia’s story begins in Greek: agora meant “marketplace, open space.” An open marketplace or gathering place. Within Greek, it grew into phobos by ancient. Fear, panic. From there it passed into German as agoraphobie by 1871. Coined by psychiatrist Carl Westphal from Greek agora (open space) and phobos (fear). It reached English by 1873 as agoraphobia. Coined in 1871 by the Berlin psychiatrist Carl Westphal from Greek 'agora', marketplace. Today, agoraphobia means an extreme fear of open, crowded, or public spaces.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient agora "marketplace, open space", an open marketplace or gathering place.
2. Stage 2 · Greek · ancient phobos "fear", fear, panic.
3. Stage 3 · German · 1871 agoraphobie "fear of open or public spaces", coined by psychiatrist Carl Westphal from Greek agora (open space) and phobos (fear).
4. Stage 4 · English · 1873 agoraphobia "fear of open or crowded public spaces", coined in 1871 by the Berlin psychiatrist Carl Westphal from Greek 'agora', marketplace.