by dave falini June 16, 2006
Get the triskadecaphobia mug.Fear of the number 13.
The year 1998 was a bad for triskaidekaphobics. Strictly, the word does refer only to fear of the number 13, but it’s often extended to mean fear of the inauspicious date Friday 13th. That year was one of the comparatively rare ones in which that date turned up three times. Every year has at least one Friday 13th, but in each of the 28-year cycles of our calendar there are four years that have three of them. The only consolation I can offer to those affected is that there won’t be another for 11 years. But then we shall have three in short order: 2009, 2012 and 2015. The word’s origins are all Greek, from tris, “three”, kai, “and”, deka, “ten” (so making thirteen), plus phobia, “fear, flight”. The word is a modern formation, dating only from 1911 (it first appeared in I H Coriat’s Abnormal Psychology). Though it has a serious use in psychology, it seems to exist mostly to provide an opportunity for people like me to show off weird words from classical languages.
The year 1998 was a bad for triskaidekaphobics. Strictly, the word does refer only to fear of the number 13, but it’s often extended to mean fear of the inauspicious date Friday 13th. That year was one of the comparatively rare ones in which that date turned up three times. Every year has at least one Friday 13th, but in each of the 28-year cycles of our calendar there are four years that have three of them. The only consolation I can offer to those affected is that there won’t be another for 11 years. But then we shall have three in short order: 2009, 2012 and 2015. The word’s origins are all Greek, from tris, “three”, kai, “and”, deka, “ten” (so making thirteen), plus phobia, “fear, flight”. The word is a modern formation, dating only from 1911 (it first appeared in I H Coriat’s Abnormal Psychology). Though it has a serious use in psychology, it seems to exist mostly to provide an opportunity for people like me to show off weird words from classical languages.
I'm triskaidekaphobic(no I'm not).
by rentastrawberry October 26, 2004
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This is fear of the number 13. It goes back to the time of Christ where there were 13 at the last supper and is a surprisingly common fear. Hotels rarely have a 13th floor and many people will not be part of a group of 13; Winston Churchill, for example, refused to dine at a table with 13 guests.
by AKACroatalin February 16, 2017
Get the Triskaidekaphobia mug.by Pure_evul February 11, 2008
Get the triscadecaphobia mug.It is believed that there
were 13 people present at the
"Last Supper", Jesus and his 12
Apostles. Some say that
Judas was the 13th to
join the table & he later went on to betray Jesus. This may be the
origin of the superstition which led to "Triskaidekaphobia" i.e. fear of the number 13.
were 13 people present at the
"Last Supper", Jesus and his 12
Apostles. Some say that
Judas was the 13th to
join the table & he later went on to betray Jesus. This may be the
origin of the superstition which led to "Triskaidekaphobia" i.e. fear of the number 13.
by Scorpio_Rishi May 29, 2014
Get the Triskaidekaphobia mug.Tristadecaphobia had no effect on Ms. LaFave on the 13th: She won a very nice $6,000 jackpot from the Triple Play machine.
by Calvin Barajas November 15, 2005
Get the tristadecaphobia mug.It is believed that there
were 13 people present at the
"Last Supper", Jesus and his 12
Apostles. Some say that
Judas was the 13th to
join the table & he later went on to betray Jesus. This may be the
origin of the superstition which led to "Triskaidekaphobia" i.e. fear of the number 13.
were 13 people present at the
"Last Supper", Jesus and his 12
Apostles. Some say that
Judas was the 13th to
join the table & he later went on to betray Jesus. This may be the
origin of the superstition which led to "Triskaidekaphobia" i.e. fear of the number 13.
by Scorpio_Rishi May 29, 2014
Get the Triskaidekaphobia mug.