Meaning & use
triskaidekaphobia
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Meanings
noununcountableformalrare
an unusually strong fear of the number 13, or a belief that this number brings bad luck.
Grammar: Uncountable, so no plural and no 'a' before it in careful use: 'Triskaidekaphobia is common in some cultures.'
Patterns
- triskaidekaphobia about something
- suffer from triskaidekaphobia
Her triskaidekaphobia is so strong that she refuses to sit in row 13 at the theater.
In some countries, triskaidekaphobia explains why many buildings have no thirteenth floor.
He jokes that his triskaidekaphobia started when he was given seat 13 on a long flight.
noununcountableformal
the widespread cultural habit of treating the number 13 as unlucky.
Grammar: Used for the general social pattern, not for one person's fear: 'Triskaidekaphobia shapes the design of many hotels.'
Patterns
- triskaidekaphobia in a culture
- signs of triskaidekaphobia
Triskaidekaphobia in Western countries has led airlines to skip row 13.
The superstition known as triskaidekaphobia appears in everything from calendars to hotel room numbers.
Common combinations
- suffer from triskaidekaphobia
- A surprising number of people claim to suffer from triskaidekaphobia.
- a case of triskaidekaphobia
- The missing thirteenth floor is a clear case of triskaidekaphobia in building design.
- triskaidekaphobia about the number 13
- His triskaidekaphobia about the number 13 makes Friday the 13th a difficult day for him.
- mild triskaidekaphobia
- She has mild triskaidekaphobia and simply avoids booking appointments on the 13th.
- fuel triskaidekaphobia
- Horror films often fuel triskaidekaphobia by linking the number 13 with danger.
Synonyms and how they differ
- superstition
- A much broader word for any belief in luck or magic; triskaidekaphobia is only about the number 13.
- phobia
- A general medical term for any intense fear; triskaidekaphobia names one specific fear.
Word family
- triskaidekaphobic adjective
- having a strong fear of the number 13.
- triskaidekaphobe noun
- a person who fears the number 13.
Commonly confused: triskaidekaphobia or arachnophobia? triskaidekaphobia or numerophobia?
triskaidekaphobia vs arachnophobia
This means a fear of spiders, not of numbers. Both words end in -phobia, which is why learners sometimes mix them up.
triskaidekaphobia vs numerophobia
A less common word for a fear of numbers in general; triskaidekaphobia is limited to the number 13.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'triskaidekaphobia' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option A fits because triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13, so avoiding room 13 matches the meaning. Option B describes a fear of heights, which is acrophobia, not triskaidekaphobia. Option C treats the word as if it were a physical feature of a building. Option D uses the noun as a verb, which is not correct.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “triskaidekaphobia”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.