xeno-, xen-, -xenic, -xenism, -xenist, -xenous, -xeny

(Greek: foreign, foreigner; alien; different; extraneous; strange, stranger; and by extension, guest)

The "x" in xeno- is pronounced "z"; "zeno". Greeks are said to have considered any stranger a "guest" and modern Greek includes xenodocheion a "guest house" or "house for guests" or its modern version of "hotel".

The etymological meaning usually denotes some aspect of a relationship involving guests or visitors of some kind.

homoxeny, homoxenous
1. Requiring only one host in the life cycle; said of certain parasites.
2. Different parasites occupying the same host splecies.
lipoxenous, lipoxeny
1. A reference to a parasite that leaves its host after feeding and has secured adequate nourishment.
2. Deserting its host; said of certain parasitic fungi which after a time quit the plant which served as a host for them.
metoxenous
1. Having more than one host; said of a parasite passing different stages of its life cycle in different animals.
2. Parasitic existence on different hosts at different stages in life-history; also, metoecious and heteroecious.
misoxene (s) (noun), misoxenes (pl)
A pathological hater of strangers: Merlin was a misoxene who avoided going anyplace where there were people he didn't know; so, he made arrangements with a company to perform his work at home and not in an office with other people.
Anyone who hates strangers and who doesn't want anything to do with them.
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misoxenist (s) (noun), misoxenists (pl)
Something or someone that feels hostility or animosity towards strangers: A misoxenist simply will not tolerate anyone who is neither a friend nor an acquaintance.

Even pets; such as, dogs or cats, will attack strangers because such people are despised and not welcome.

A cat sees the postal lady, who is a stranger, approaching the door.
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When the lady is about to leave some mail, the cat would attack her.
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The scenes above represent an actual attack by a cat upon a postwoman in Germany in early 2002; because, whenever she tried to deliver a man's mail the cat would jump out and bite and claw her.

The owner of the misoxenist had to pick up his mail at a neighborhood bar because he refused to restrict the freedom of his cat to come and go whenever it wanted to do so.

misoxeny (s) (noun), misoxenies (pl)
A strong preference to stay away from unknown people and to avoid foreigners: As a result of his misoxeny, Mike refused to go the hospital if he had to share a room with strangers; so, he insisted on having a private room!
monaxenic
A mixed culture of an organism with one prey speicies.
monoxeny, monoxenous
A reference to a parasite that is restricted or which utilizes a single host species during its life cycle.
myremecoxenous
Furnishing both food and shelter for ants.
myrmecoxenous, myrmecoxeny
A reference of plants that provide both food and shelter for ants and termites.
oligoxeny
1. A reference to parasites that utilize a few host species during their life cycles.
2. Parasites adapted to life in only a few species of hosts.
perixenitis
An inflammatory reaction to a foreign body implanted in an organ or tissue of the body.
philoxenism (s) (noun), philoxenisms (pl)
The situation of being hospitable to or entertaining strangers: While playing the piano for some people he wasn't acquainted with, Tom was experiencing philoxenism, and found out that this was really what he always wanted to do!
philoxenist (s) (noun), philoxenists (pl)
One who is fond of or who is happiest when entertaining strangers: Sometimes parents invited Jack and Jill, the professional philoxenists, to put on circus acts for their children's birthday parties.
pleioxenous, pleioxeny
A reference to a parasite that is not host specific, or a parasite that has several hosts during its life cycle.

Related "foreign, strange" word families: allotrio-; barbar-.