gelotophobia means an abnormal and persistent fear of being laughed at. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why “gelotophobia” is a great word
GELOTOPHOBIA — [Noun] An abnormal and persistent fear of being laughed at. Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek γέλως (gélōs, "laughter") + -phobia ("fear"). Unlike katagelasticism (which denotes the predatory enjoyment of laughing at others) or gelotophilia (which refers to the pleasurable submission to being laughed at), gelotophobia is a preemptive wince, a flinch of the soul in anticipation of mockery. It is the sudden, cold stillness when a distant group erupts in laughter, the meticulous editing of one’s own anecdotes to avoid misinterpretation, and the private conviction that one’s face is an unwitting punchline—a life spent backstage, convinced the audience is already laughing.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek γέλως (gélōs, “laughter”) + -phobia.
noun
- An abnormal and persistent fear of being laughed at.“Titze sees Gelotophobia as a clinical category, […]”