ocnophiln.adj.

1955 M. Balint in Internat. Jrnl. Psycho-anal. 36 227/2 We need another term to describe the apparent opposite of a philobat, one who cannot stand swings and switchbacks, who prefers to clutch at something firm when his security is in any way endangered. For this I propose ‘ocnophil’, derived from the Greek word ὀκνέω, meaning ‘to shrink, to hesitate, to hang back’. Hence we get the adjective ‘ocnophilic’ and the abstract noun ‘ocnophilia’.

1979 Jrnl. Psychohist. 6 474 Sons or daughters of oknophil re-emigrants who had picked up some of the philobatic traits of American culture.

1986 N. Symington Analytic Experience xxviii. 305 The ocnophil clings to his objects in fear.

1995 J. Klein Doubts & Certainties Practice Psychotherapy vi. 136 What distinguishes the ocnophil is being always preoccupied with people, always recruiting, as friends or enemies. In therapy, they benefit from transference interpretations because relating to people is the stuff of their lives.

1995 J. Klein Doubts & Certainties Practice Psychotherapy vi. 149 We therapists need to be particularly cautious when we are in an ocnophil mood, and more in need of recruiting someone onto our stage than able to hear what our patient is engaged with.

1955 M. Balint in Internat. Jrnl. Psycho-anal. 36 227/2 We need another term to describe the apparent opposite of a philobat, one who cannot stand swings and switchbacks, who prefers to clutch at something firm when his security is in any way endangered. For this I propose ‘ocnophil’, derived from the Greek word ὀκνέω, meaning ‘to shrink, to hesitate, to hang back’. Hence we get the adjective ‘ocnophilic’ and the abstract noun ‘ocnophilia’.

1986 N. Symington Analytic Experience xxviii. 306 A patient who had a terror of water: in that she shrank away from it and clung to the shore, this was an ocnophilic defence.