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.

nemophilist (s) (noun), neophilists (pl)
A person who has a special love of groves of trees: Rupert is a confirmed nemophilist and has purchased a farm with a section of birch trees on it so he can wander peacefully among them.
Someone who is fond of iving in forests.
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nemophilous (adjective)
A reference to having a love of forests or groves.
nemophily (s) (noun), nemophilies (pl)
A fondness for groves or trees.
neophily
The attraction, or inclination; usually of animals, to approach unfamiliar objects or situations.
neurophilosophy
nomophile
Any creature which thrives in pastures.
—As found in The Cambridge Illustrated Dictionary of Natural History; but in no other source;
by R.J. Lincoln and G.A. Boxshall; Cambridge University Press;
Cambridge, England; 1987; page 259.
nomophilous
In biology, thriving in pastures.
—As found in The Cambridge Illustrated Dictionary of Natural History; but in no other source;
by R.J. Lincoln and G.A. Boxshall; Cambridge University Press;
Cambridge, England; 1987; page 259.
nomophily
nosophile
A person who is morbidly attracted by sickness or disease.
notaphilist
A collector of bank notes.
noterophilous (adjective), more noterophilous, most noterophilous
In biology, a reference to thriving in mesic (moderate moisture) habitats.
nucleophile
A chemical compound or group that is attracted to nuclei and tends to donate or share electrons.
nyctophile
nyctophilia
A fondness for night or darkness.
nyctophilist
A person who has an abnormal preference for darkness or night.
Quiz button #1 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.