What is most closely the meaning of bugbear in the following passage? indeed, the word masculine is only a bugbear. there is little reason to fear that women will acquire too much courage or fortitude, for their apparent inferiority with respect to bodily strength must render them, in some degree, dependent on men in the various relations of life, but why should it be increased by prejudices that give a sex to virtue and confound simple truths with sensual reveries? a) noun | something that excessively frightens or annoys people b) noun | a combination of many different ideas c) noun | a traditional belief d) noun | an immovable object