What is the origin of 'sleep tight'?
Read moreOne of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Irrational or excessive fear of becoming or being infected with syphilis; the delusional belief that one has syphilis; an instance of this.
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Robley Dunglison (1798–1869), physician and medical writer. In some forms from French syphiliphobie, with remodelling after words in -phobia.