philo-, phil-, -phile, -philia, -philic, -philous, -phily, -philiac, -philist, -philism
(Greek: love, loving, friendly to, fondness for, attraction to; strong tendency toward, affinity for)
These are just a few of the meanings set up for the etymological meanings of philo- which comes to us from Greek.
In biology, there are many words that use philo-, phil- to mean "thriving in such and such a place or situation; or exhibiting a tendency for a specified condition" for its existence.
Other meanings include: "strongly attracted to; such as, an organism that loves or is strongly attracted to something which is specified".
In psychology and psychiatry, -phile, -philia, etc. use this element as a word termination indicating an abnormal craving or attraction to or an affinity for an object as shown by the word stems to which they are affixed.
A collector of lace bobbins: Mary loved the lace made with bobbins by using a pillow or pad, like she had seen in some southern countries, so she decided to find as many as she could to make some lace herself. After a while she turned out to be a flandephilist and had accumulated lots of such bobbins.
In psychiatry, a subtype of zoophilia in which sexual arousal and orgasm are dependent upon the sensation produced by small bugs or other creatures crawling or nibbling at the skin, most frequently in the genital or anal areas or around the nipples. After reading about formicophilia, Alice was shocked by people who found pleasure in such dreadful and unhealthy sexual methods.
1. A form of life that favours or has a fondness for cold places: As a frigophile, Sally usually decided to spend her vacation time in the far north where the air was frosty and the ground covered with snow.
2. A person who prefers cold or cold things: Jane always had her food and drinks in the fridge because, as a frigophile she only wanted to eat frozen or at least cool food, and never warm or hot!
2. A person who prefers cold or cold things: Jane always had her food and drinks in the fridge because, as a frigophile she only wanted to eat frozen or at least cool food, and never warm or hot!
frigophilic (adjective) (not comparable)
Referring to a life form that thrives in a cold habitat: There are some frigophilic vegetable seeds that can germinate as low as 1°C , like onion and lettuce seeds.
The preference of something growing or thriving in a cold environment: Frigophily of some plants can be exemplified by the lily of the valley, the catmint, and the coral bells.
One who is fond of and collects door knobs: Sally's mother, a furniphilist just loved old door knobs, especially ones with pretty flowers painted on them, and she put them all on a shelf in her living room.
A collector of muskets: Over the years, Jim's grandfather, a fusiophilist, had accumulated a number of muzzle-loading shoulder guns that had long barrels and had them locked up in a cabinet in his library.
A collector of menu cards: Jason was looking forward to the annual convention of gastrocartephilists as he had several new restaurant publications to show his friends.
Someone who loves and pampers his stomach with good eating: Since Greg and his wife had an extreme weakness for the finest foods, they always went to the best restaurants where they, as gastrophiles, could indulge in the best meals.
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Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
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An organism that lives in soil: There is a large number of geophiles that thrive in earth, and among them are mites, nematodes, earthworms, ants, and bacteria.
geophilic (adjective), more geophilic, most geophilic
1. Pertaining to the growth of life forms that thrive in soil: Fungi, algae, and protozoa are all geophilic organisms.
2. Relating to plants that fruit below the soil surface: Geophilic peanuts, classified as a fruit, are the only fruit that grow under the surface of the earth and are, in addition, the plant's seeds.
2. Relating to plants that fruit below the soil surface: Geophilic peanuts, classified as a fruit, are the only fruit that grow under the surface of the earth and are, in addition, the plant's seeds.
geophilomorpha (pl) (noun)
Small elongated centipedes of the order Geophilomorpha: Geophilomorpha of the class Chilopoda live in soil and under stones and have more than 30 pairs of legs.
geophilous (adjective) (not comparable)
1. Regarding an organism that dwells and thrives or grows in soil: A number of geophilous animals love the ground, particularly the Geophilia or land-snails or geophilous insects.
2. A reference to plants that have fruit below the surface of the earth or soil, or to animals more properly referred to as burrowing: Some geophilous mammals that dig tunnels include the rats, mice, rabbits, and moles.
2. A reference to plants that have fruit below the surface of the earth or soil, or to animals more properly referred to as burrowing: Some geophilous mammals that dig tunnels include the rats, mice, rabbits, and moles.
1. The property of living underground: Geophily can be exemplified by burrowing animals or by a number of insects.
2. The feature of flowers and fruit growing at ground level or below the surface of the earth: In reading about geophilily, Jane found out that the peanut was the best example for the situation of fruit growing in the ground.
2. The feature of flowers and fruit growing at ground level or below the surface of the earth: In reading about geophilily, Jane found out that the peanut was the best example for the situation of fruit growing in the ground.
A person who loves old people: A gerontophile is an individual who has an intimate interest in older people
You may take a self-scoring quiz over some of the words in this section by just clicking this Philo Quiz #1 link.Related "love, fondness" units: agape-; amat-; vener-; venus.
