bozophobia

English

Etymology

Bozo (a famous American clown character) + -phobia

Noun

bozophobia (uncountable)

1. (informal, humorous) The fear of clowns.
   • 1978, Jane Stern, Michael Stern, Amazing America: A Guide to Over 600 Sights, Random House, →ISBN, page 156:

     Do not go to the Ringling Museum of the Circus if you suffer from bozophobia.

   • 1995, Maximum Rocknroll, Issue 148, unknown page:

     I hate clowns, clowns suck, clowns are big, mean scary people, who deserve to get the crap beat out of them like no one else deserves to. (Except maybe mimes) Bozophobia aside, I really like this: it's fast, it's well played, […]

   • 2002 May 14, William George Ferguson, “Re: Question from a newbie”, in aus.tv.buffy‎^[1] (Usenet):

     No explanation has yet been given for Anya's lapinaphobia, anymore than for Willow's ranidophobia, or Xander's bozophobia.

Synonyms

• clownophobia, coulrophobia