Acrophobia is the specific term for fear of heights, derived from Greek 'acron' meaning 'summit' or 'peak'. People with this phobia experience intense anxiety when high up, even when they know they're safe. Fear of places would be claustrophobia or agoraphobia depending on context. Fear of humans is anthropophobia. Fear of death is thanatophobia. Acrophobia is distinct from vertigo, which is a sensation of spinning rather than a fear response.