triskaidekaphobia
noun
            
- an irrational fear of the number thirteen

MedicineNet

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ORIGIN

The word was first found in print in 1911 and is formed from the Greek word for thirteen “treiskaideka” + “phobos”, fear.

There are many theories about the origin of fear-of-thirteen - a common explanation from medieval Christianity alludes to the 13 persons at the Last Supper of Christ.

Because the Crucifixion was on a Friday, this weekday was also considered unlucky in Christian legend. Thus a Friday falling on the thirteenth day of the month might be a reason for staying in bed.

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WEIRD FACTS ABOUT TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA

- Many hospitals have no room number 13, and many tall buildings do not name the 13th floor. Instead they either have floor 12A or M (the 13th letter of the alphabet).

- The former U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt refused to travel on the thirteenth of any month and would never sit with thirteen people at table

- It has been estimated that around $800-$900 million is lost in the U.S. annually because of triskaidekaphobia, as a significant number of people will not fly or do business as usual on Friday the 13th.

- 40 percent of real estate agents admit that houses that have 13 in their address are difficult to sell, and often must be sold at a lower price than similar houses with a different house number.

- According to a British study that compared traffic accidents over a period of 2 years, there are more accidents on Fridays the 13th than on other Fridays, maybe because drivers are more nervous in traffic that day. A similar study in the Netherlands found no such correlation, thus suggesting that the British may be more superstitious.

- In Formula-1 racing, cars cannot bear the number 13.

- Continental, KLM, Air France, Lufthansa, and RyanAir have no row 13 on their aircraft, and Scottish airports do not have gate 13, they use gate 12B instead.

- People who suffer from fear-of-thirteen are called TRISKAIDEKAPHOBES. They include: Napoleon, Herbert Hoover, Mark Twain, Richard Wagner, Franklin Roosevelt, and Stephen King

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“A word like TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA is a good discussion topic on any Friday the 13th.”

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THANKS to Stephen for suggesting today’s OWAD.

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Paul Smith