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October 18, 2016 4:02 PM

Is there a suffix (or other word modifier) used like -phobia/-phobic/-phobe that means concern or alarm or apprehension without the connotation of terror or hatred or exclusion? Ideally the word would make sense to a fluent English speaker, but if it needs a little explaining, that's okay. This isn't a political question; it's for a story.
posted by michaelh to Writing & Language (10 answers total)

"Averse"? As in being risk-averse or spider-averse?
posted by dayintoday at 4:04 PM on October 18, 2016 [7 favorites]

How about "Spider Wise"?

Crappy answers:
Spider Aware
Spider Safe
Anti Spider
Spider Nervous
Spider-taler (like teetotaler)
posted by TomFoolery at 5:16 PM on October 18, 2016

Mania?
posted by jraz at 5:23 PM on October 18, 2016

The suffix -skeptic could work. I'm thinking euroskeptic.
posted by Morpeth at 6:01 PM on October 18, 2016

eschewal and dread are in the ballpark
posted by forthright at 6:18 PM on October 18, 2016

Spider-sensitive? (Tingley! :) )
posted by The otter lady at 6:29 PM on October 18, 2016

If it's for a story and you can explain it, I'd go ahead and use your ish.

Arachnophobish

People get "ish" as a qualifier. I think it would read well.
posted by phunniemee at 7:27 PM on October 18, 2016

Dreader?
Hater?
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:37 PM on October 18, 2016

Response by poster: Nice suggestions, everyone! I think phunniemee's -phobish is what I'll tentatively use. It sounds clever, which works for the story, and should definitely make sense to the reader.
posted by michaelh at 7:45 AM on October 19, 2016

-wary
posted by at at 8:56 PM on October 19, 2016