coulrophobia

Coined in the late 1980s or 1990s, of unknown origin, appearing first, without further explanation, in lists of phobias circulating on the Internet. First use appears c. 1997 according to the OED. According to a widespread theory the term is supposedly based on Ancient Greek κωλοβαθριστής (kōlobathristḗs, “one who goes on stilts”) (from κωλόβαθρον (kōlóbathron, “stilt”), from κῶλον (kôlon, “limb”) + βάθρον (báthron, “something to stand on”), allegedly chosen for lack of an obvious Ancient Greek equivalent of "clown", or with some supposed sense of "stilt-walker" (because earlier clowns used to walk on stilts in their performances), + -phobia (“fear of”) suffix. If true, the literal meaning of coulrophobia would be either "fear of limbs" or "fear of stilt-walkers". This theory fails to explain the substitution of ou for o and of lro for lo.