Chromophobic describes a strong fear of colours — or a person who has that fear — often mixed with an unreasonable belief that a certain colour will bring something bad. So this is the adjective that sits beside chromophobia. It is a rare, formal word. Though actually, in biology class you may meet another use: chromophobic cells are cells that do not take up stain; they do not “show colour” under the microscope. That science use is about dye, not about fear. Both uses come from the same “colour” root, which is why the spelling is the same. This entry is about the fear.