the word "neophobia" comes from the greek νέος, "neos", meaning "new, young", and φόβος, "phobos", for "fear". "cainophobia" comes from the greek καινός, "kainos", meaning "new, fresh". alternative terms for neophobia include metathesiophobia, prosophobia, cainotophobia (or cainophobia), and kainophobia (or kainolophobia).