Arachibutyrophobia

Arachibutyrophobia is a joke word for the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Dictionaries label it humorous and rare. Wiktionary: arachibutyrophobia No doctor diagnoses it, and there’s no treatment aimed at it.

The word is built from the Latin arachis, meaning peanut, and butyrum, meaning butter, plus -phobia. Wikipedia: List of phobias You can say it as ah-RAK-ih-BYOO-tih-roh-FOH-bee-uh.

Where did the word come from?

Many websites say Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz invented it. The record shows it’s older than that. The earliest printed use Wiktionary lists is from a student newspaper, the Ball State Daily News, on March 31, 1977. The writer listed it among “odds and ends” picked up in school and added, “I have no idea how many people suffer from this.” Wiktionary: arachibutyrophobia

Schulz did use the word, in a 1982 Peanuts strip, which helped make it famous. The British writer Peter O’Donnell also used it in his 1985 Modesty Blaise novel Dead Man’s Handle. Wikipedia: List of phobias Since then it has turned up in children’s books, parenting humor, and trivia collections. Wiktionary: arachibutyrophobia

Wikipedia files it under “jocular and fictional phobias,” next to anatidaephobia, the fear that a duck is watching you. Wikipedia: List of phobias

Why the joke works

Almost everyone who has eaten a spoonful of peanut butter knows the feeling: it sticks, your tongue works at it, and for a second you can’t talk. That’s the whole joke. It takes a small, shared annoyance and gives it a long, serious-sounding Latin name, the same way doctors name real fears.

A 2013 novel quoted by Wiktionary sums it up: this fear “can probably be dealt with by not eating peanut butter, or just eating it carefully.” Wiktionary: arachibutyrophobia

When the feeling is real

Some people do feel real fear around food in their mouth, and it isn’t funny for them. Fear of choking is one example. The APA lists fear of choking among the fears that can count as a specific phobia. APA Dictionary of Psychology

Here’s a made-up example. Imagine a man who once choked on a piece of bread. Since then, thick or sticky foods make his throat tighten. He cuts food into tiny pieces, drinks water with every bite, and skips meals out with friends because he’s afraid of gagging in front of them. He’d never call it arachibutyrophobia, but sticky foods like peanut butter are near the top of his list.

If that sounds like you, the joke name doesn’t fit, and you don’t need it. What you’re dealing with is a real fear.

Fear or phobia?

Disliking how peanut butter feels is a taste preference. A specific phobia is a marked, lasting fear that’s out of proportion to the danger and leads to avoidance or strong distress. APA Dictionary of Psychology Signs to watch for with food fears include cutting out whole groups of foods, panic during meals, or weight loss from eating less. Our fear versus phobia guide explains the difference.

What can help?

For real food-related fears, talk to a doctor first, partly to rule out a physical problem with swallowing. For phobias in general, the NHS lists talking therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). NHS: Phobias Don’t force yourself to eat foods that scare you to “face the fear.” A professional can set a pace that’s safe.

Frequently asked questions

Did Charles Schulz invent arachibutyrophobia?

No. He used it in a 1982 Peanuts strip, but a student newspaper printed it in 1977. Wiktionary: arachibutyrophobia Wikipedia: List of phobias

Is it the same as a peanut allergy?

No. A peanut allergy is a medical condition where the immune system reacts to peanuts. Arachibutyrophobia is a joke about a sticky texture. If you have a peanut allergy, being careful around peanut butter is sensible, not a phobia.

Why does peanut butter stick to the roof of your mouth?

It’s thick and sticky, so it clings and takes effort to swallow. That’s the everyday experience the joke is built on.

What other joke phobias are there?

Plenty. There’s anatidaephobia, the fear that a duck is watching you, and hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia, the fear of long words. Some odd-sounding names describe real fears, though, like turophobia, the fear of cheese, and lachanophobia, the fear of vegetables. Our guide to the strangest named phobias sorts the jokes from the real ones.

When to get help

If fear of choking or of certain foods is limiting what you eat, causing panic, or affecting your health or social life, see a doctor. You can say, “I’m scared of choking and it’s changing how I eat.” Leave the funny word out; describe what happens.