'gynophobia' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'gynē' and 'phobos', where 'gynē' meant 'woman' and 'phobos' meant 'fear'.

'gynophobia' is a modern coinage formed from the combining form 'gyno-' (from Greek) and the suffix '-phobia' (from Greek 'phobos') via New Latin/modern formation; it entered English as a technical/clinical term in the 19th–20th century.

Initially, it meant 'fear of women', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.