separation anxiety: Meaning and Definition of

separa'tion anxi"ety

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the normal fear and apprehension expressed by infants when removed from their mothers or approached by strangers.
  2. any similar reaction in later life caused by separation from familiar surroundings or close friends or family.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.