hydrophobia

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (3)

a symptom of rabies in humans consisting of an aversion to swallowing liquids
a morbid fear of water
an acute viral disease of the nervous system of warm-blooded animals (usually transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal); rabies is fatal if the virus reaches the brainSynonyms: rabies lyssa madness

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Hydrophobia \Hy`dro*pho"bi*a\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?; "y`dwr water + ? fear: cf. F. hydrophobie.] (Med.) (a) An abnormal dread of water, said to be a symptom of canine madness; hence: (b) A viral disease trransmitted by a bite from, or inoculation with the saliva of, a rabid creature, of which the chief symptoms are, a sense of dryness and constriction in the throat, causing difficulty in deglutition, and a marked heightening of reflex excitability, producing convulsions whenever the patient attempts to swallow, or is disturbed in any way, as by the sight or sound of water; rabies; canine madness. [Written also hydrophoby.] [1913 Webster]