selenophobia

English

Etymology

From seleno- +‎ -phobia, from Ancient Greek Σελήνη (Selḗnē, “Moon”) + φόβος (phóbos, “fear”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /səˌli.nəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/

Noun

selenophobia (countable and uncountable, plural selenophobias)

1. An abnormal or irrational fear of the Moon.
2. A fear of selenium due to its perceived status as a carcinogen and toxin.

   Antonym: selenophilia

   • 2017, Joao B. T. Rocha, Claudia S. Oliveira, Pablo A. Nogara, “Toxicology and Anticancer Activity of Synthetic Organoselenium Compounds”, in Organoselenium Compounds in Biology and Medicine, Royal Society of Chemistry, page 349:

     […] the chronic use of dietary selenium supplementation or chronic ingestion of drinking water containing selenium slightly above normal or safe levels can facilitate the development of diabetes type 2 and neurodegenerative diseases. These observations do not indicate that we have returned to the era of selenophobia (the fear of selenium observed in the 20th century), but we have to be much more critical about the intentional or unintentional chronic use of selenium.