Lexical and semantic analysis of Latin specific phobias with hyperonyms zoophobia and entomophobia

Phobias are considered to be mental disorders. According to the traditional DSM classification (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders), three main types of phobias are generally categorized. There are social phobias, agoraphobia, specific phobias; the last two types have their own subtypes. Each of the types/subtypes of phobias is verbally codified by terms (or terminological combinations). In terms of etymology, many phobias in English can be traced back to Greek or Latin roots. The purpose of scientific research is to carry out lexical, semantic and etymological analysis of the largest group of isolated (specific) phobias, that denote an irrational fear experienced by adults or children in relation to various kinds of animals and insects. As a result of the study, 30 terminological units with the hypernym zoophobia and 20 with the hypernym entomophobia have been selected. At the same time, among the phobias names caused by different types of animals, we identify hyponyms that specify the name of the stimulus and combine them into six subtypes; in the lexical and semantic group with the hypernym entomophobia we managed to identify five types of hyponyms. It has also been found that a significant number of the studied phobias names are characterized by the existence of synonymous pairs, occasionally synonymous chains, which is explained by the traditional approach to the formation of medical terms using Greek and Latin term-forming elements. Analysis of the origin of the initial meaning of the term elements that formed the basis of the studied phobias names indicates a preference for Greek-derived roots; there are fewer hybrid formations with an initial element of Latin origin; the use of roots borrowed from modern languages is rare