Triakaidekaphobia is a long and complex word that refers to a fear of the number thirteen. It's spelled as tri-akai-dek-a-pho-bia, with the stress on the third syllable. Using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), it can be transcribed as /ˌtrai.əkaɪdɪˈkɑːfəbiə/. The word is composed of the Greek prefix "tri," meaning "three," "dek" meaning "ten," "phobia," meaning "fear," and "kai," meaning "and." The word is commonly associated with superstition and is believed to have originated in the early 1900s.
Triakaidekaphobia is a noun that refers to the irrational fear or phobia of the number thirteen. Derived from the Greek words "tria" meaning "three," "kaideka" which translates to "thirteen," and "phobos" which means "fear," this term is used to describe an intense and persistent fear specifically associated with the number thirteen.
Individuals who suffer from triakaidekaphobia experience extreme anxiety, distress, or panic when encountering or even thinking about the number thirteen. This fear is often deeply rooted in cultural and historical superstitions, such as the belief that thirteen is an unlucky or cursed number. For example, Friday the thirteenth is a date that has been associated with bad luck in many Western cultures.
The phobia can manifest in various ways, including avoiding situations or places that involve the number thirteen, avoiding the thirteenth floor of a building, or even changing plans or behaviors to prevent interacting with this number. Triakaidekaphobia can cause significant disruptions in daily life, leading to feelings of isolation and anxiety.
Although triakaidekaphobia is considered an irrational fear, it is important to recognize that phobias can profoundly impact an individual's mental well-being. Treatment options for triakaidekaphobia typically involve cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and relaxation techniques, aiming to help individuals gradually confront and overcome their fear of the number thirteen.
The superstitious fear of thirteen at table.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word triakaidekaphobia is formed by combining three Greek components: tria, meaning three, kai, meaning and, and deka, meaning ten. These components are all related to numerical values. The fourth component, phobia, is derived from the Greek word phobos, which means fear or morbid fear. Thus, when combining these elements, triakaidekaphobia literally translates to fear of (the number) thirteen.