Hydrophobia

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. An abnormal dread of water, said to be a symptom of canine madness; hence:

2. The disease caused by a bite form, or inoculation with the saliva of, a rabid creature, of which the chief symptoms are, a sense of dryness and construction 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.]