Coulrophobia is an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. The term is common, but is not commonly used in psychology.[1] The prefix "coulro-" comes from the Ancient Greek κωλοβαθριστής (kōlobathristēs), “one who goes on stilts”.[citation needed] Coulrophobia can also be said to extend to a fear of covering up one's face with paint—the idea of hiding recognisable features under a layer of face paint can also unsettle coulrophobia sufferers.[1]