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Suffixes with the common part -phil- (-phile, -philia, -phily, -philic) are used to specify some kind of attraction or affinity to something. They are antonymic to suffixes -phob-.

Contents

Phil- (philo-) may also be used as a prefix with a similar meaning.

The suffix and prefix are derived from the Ancient Greek word philia (φιλία), "love, affection".

Biology

  • Acidophilia, acidophile: Preference of acidic conditions. Antonym: Acidophobia, acidophobe
  • Alkaliphilia, alkaliphile: Preference of alkaline environments.
  • Anthophilia, anthophile, anthophilic: Attraction to flowers.
  • Anthrophile, anthrophilic: Attracted to humans (e.g., parasites).
  • Anemophily: A form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind.
  • Cryophilia, cryophilic, cryophile: Preference for cold environments, climates, objects and low temperatures; e.g., Protea cryophila (Snow Protea).
  • Dendrophilia, dendrophilic, dendrophile: Preference of trees or other plants.
  • Entomophilous: Adapted for pollination by insects.
  • Extremophilia, extremophile: Preference of living extremal conditions for some microorganisms.
  • Geophilia, geophilic, geophile Referring to organisms that prefer the soil.
  • Halophilia, halophile: Attraction to salt or salt-water.
  • Heliophilia, heliophile: Attraction to sunlight.
  • Hydrophilia: Attraction to water.
  • Hyperthermophilia, hyperthermophile, hyperthermophilic: Organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments.
  • Limnophilia, limnophile, limnophilic: Preference of ponds or marshes.
  • Lithophilia, lithophile, litophilic: Preference or affinity to stones.
  • Mesophilia, mesophile: Preference of moderate temperatures in microorganisms.
  • Microaerophilia, microaerophile, microaerophilic: Organisms that can tolerate or require environments containing low levels of oxygen.
  • Myrmecophilia: The names of orchids of genus myrmecophila, "love of ants"
  • Nemophilia: Love of the woods and forests, in the name of the genus Nemophilia of flowers.
  • Necrophilia necrophile: Attraction to the dead
  • Nyctophilia: An attraction to darkness or night; finding relaxation or comfort in the darkness. Preferring nighttime activities to daytime activities.
  • Ombrophilia, ombrophile: Affinity to large amounts of rainfall.
  • Petrophilia, petrophile, petrophilic: Preference of living or spending time in rocky areas.
  • Photophilia, photophile, photophilic: Preference of living or spending time in lighted conditions.
  • Pluviophilia, pluviophile, pluviophilic: Affinity to rain.
  • Psammophile, psammophyte: A plant loving sandy areas.
  • Psychrophilia, psychrophile: Preference of cold temperatures.
  • Rheophilia: Preference of living in running water.
  • Rhizophilia: Preference of living on roots.
  • Sciaphilia, skiaphilia: Preference of living in shady or dark areas (as opposed to photophilia).
  • Thermophilia: Love of high temperatures; thriving in high temperatures (e.g. microbes).
  • Tropophilia, tropophile, tropophilous: Preference of seasonal extremes of climate.
  • Vorarephilia: Sexual attraction to being eaten by or eating humans.
  • Xenophilia: An affection for unknown, foreign objects, or people. Antonym: Xenophobia.
  • Xerophilia: Love of living or spending time in very dry conditions.
  • Xylophilia: Love of wood.
  • Zoophily: A form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by animals.

    • Chemistry and physics

  • Chromophilous: Staining easily
  • Electrophile: A substance having an affinity for electrons or negative charge
  • Hydrophilic: (of a substance) having a tendency to interact with or be dissolved by water and other polar substances
  • Lipophilic: (of a substance) attracted to lipids, as in cell membranes.
  • Litophilic: (of a substance) In microfluidics, enriching on channel walls instead of in the middle of the channels. (e.g. air bubbles)
  • Nucleophile: A substance having an affinity for positive charge; antonym of electrophile.

    • Hobbies

  • Audiophilia: Love of high-fidelity sound reproduction
  • Arctophilia: Love of teddy bears; especially, an interest in collecting teddy bears
  • Bibliophilia: Love of books
  • Cartophilia: Love of maps
  • Cinephilia: Love of cinema and film
  • Philately: The study of stamps and postal history and other related items
  • Glossophilia: Love of languages
  • Icthyophilia: Love of fish
  • Logophilia: Love of words - Logophiles may be interested in word games, such as crosswords, or Scrabble, and in the extreme, derive enjoyment from reading things commonly given less notice, such as labels
  • Metrophilia: Love of the metro rail or subway systems
  • Neophilia: Love of the latest novelties and trends
  • Oenophilia: Love of wine
  • Ornithophilia: Love of birds
  • Taphophilia: Love of graves, cemeteries and funerals
  • Technophilia: Love of technology

    • National or ethnic

  • Anglophile: a non-English person who is extremely fond of all things English. Antonym: Anglophobe
  • Austrophile: a fan of Austrian culture.
  • Celtophile: a fan of Celtic culture.
  • Europhile: a person who wants to increase cooperation between governments within the European Union. Antonym: Eurosceptic
  • Fennophile: a fan of Finnish culture.
  • Francophile or Gallophile: a fan of French culture. Antonym: Francophobe
  • Germanophile or Teutophile: a fan of German culture. Antonym: Germanophobe or teutophobia
  • Hellenophile: a fan of Greek culture (i.e. someone prone to philhellenism)
  • Hibernophile: a lover of Ireland or Irish culture
  • Hispanophile: a lover of Spanish (Spain) culture(s) and people.
  • Indophile: a fan of India
  • Italophile a fan of Italy. Antonym: Italophobia.
  • Japanophile: a non-Japanese person with a strong interest in Japan or Japanese culture. Antonym: Japanophobe.
  • Judeophile: a lover of Jews or Jewish culture. Antonym: Judeophobe or antisemite.
  • Negrophilia: a term used in the 1920s and 30s for the interest in Europe for African and African-American culture
  • Russophilia: love of Russia and/or Russians. Antonym: Russophobe.
  • Sinophile: a non-Chinese person with a strong interest in China or Chinese culture. Antonym: Sinophobe
  • Slavophile: a fan of Slavic culture.
  • Suecophile: someone with a great interest in the Swedish language and culture

    • Other

  • Biophilia hypothesis
  • Haemophilia: A disease relating to blood clotting
  • Homophile: A term used to refer to gay people or those who supported homosexuality, prior to gay liberation and other LGBT social movements.
  • Pluviophile: Love of the rain
  • Retrophilia: Love of things of the past
  • Theophilia: Love of a god

    • Prefix phil-

  • Philadelphia
  • Philanderer
  • Philanthropy
  • Philately
  • Philhellenism, the love of Greek culture (this may also be called hellenophilia)
  • Philology
  • Philomath
  • Philosophy
  • Phillumenism

    • References

    -phil- Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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