-phil-

-phil-

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

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

Philia (φιλία) as an ancient Greek word for love refers to brotherly love, including friendship and affection. This contrast to the ancient Greek terms Eros, or sexual/romantic love, and agapē, or detached, spiritual love. English usage differs in some cases from the etymological use, and several of these words refer in English not to brotherly love but to sexual attraction.

The suffix "-phile" (or, in a few cases, -philiac) applies to someone or something with one of these attractions.

The suffix "-philic" describes the property of being attracted to something.

The less common suffix "-phily" is synonymous with "-philia".

There are five major areas of usage of this suffix: biology, sexology, chemistry/physics, hobbies, and attitude to specific nations, with occasional coinage in other areas.

Contents

Biology

  • acidophilia / acidophile: Preference of acidic conditions
  • 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/attracted to salt or salt-water.
  • heliophilia / heliophile: Attraction/attracted to sunlight.
  • hydrophilia: Attraction to water.
  • hyperthermophilia / hyperthermophile / hyperthermophilic: Describing organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments.
  • limnophilia / limnophile / limnophilic: Preference of ponds or marshes.
  • lithophilia / lithophile / litophilic: Preference/affinity to stones.
  • mesophilia / mesophile: Preference of moderate temperatures in microorganisms.
  • microaerophilia / microaerophile / Microaerophilic: of organisms that can tolerate or require environments containing low levels of oxygen.
  • myrmecophilia: in names of orchids of genus myrmecophila, "love of ants"
  • nemophilia: Love of the woods/forests, in the name of the genus Nemophilia of flowers.
  • necrophilia necrophile: attraction to the dead
  • nyctophilia: A preference for darkness or night.
  • ombrophilia / ombrophile: Affinity/affined 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.
  • psammophile: A plant loving sandy areas (psammophyte).
  • psychrophilia / psychrophile: Preference of cold temperatures.
  • rheophilia: Preference of living in running water.
  • rhizophilia: Preference of living on roots.
  • sciaphilia or 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.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • hydrophilic: (of a substance) having a tendency to interact with or be dissolved by water and other polar substances

Hobbies

  • audiophilia: Love of high-fidelity sound reproduction
  • arctophilia: Love of teddy bears; especially, an interest in collecting teddy bears
  • bibliophilia: Love of books
  • cinephilia: Love of cinema and film
  • glossophilia: Love of languages
  • horolophilia: Love of timepieces, specifically wristwatches.
  • 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
  • schediophilia: being attracted to cartoon or animated characters.
  • taphophilia: Love of graves, cemeteries and funerals
  • technophilia: Love of technology
  • turophilia/turophile: Love of cheese / connoisseur of cheese

National

Other

Prefix “phil-”


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • -phil — phil·ic; …   English syllables

  • Phil K — (full name Phil Krokidis) is an electronic music DJ and producer from Melbourne, Australia. He is a member of the Aussie breaks music scene which also includes other Melbourne DJs such as Nubreed and Andy Page.cite news… …   Wikipedia

  • phil — phil·a·del·phia; phil·a·del·phus; phil·a·mot; phil·an·thrope; phil·an·throp·ic; phil·an·tom·ba; phil·a·tel·ic; phil·e·nor; phil·e·pit·ta; phil·e·tai·rus; phil·hel·len·ic; phil·hel·len·ism; phil·hel·len·ist; phil·ia; phil·i·a·ter; …   English syllables

  • Phil X — Phil Xenidis, better known as Phil X, is a Canadian born guitarist and co founder of the Los Angeles based Turbo Pop band Powder.Phil also plays guitar and sings for the band The Drills.Phil is a prolific session guitarist, having played on… …   Wikipedia

  • phil- — Phil : ↑ philo , Philo . * * * phil , Phil : ↑philo , ↑Philo . phi|lo , Phi|lo , (vor Vokalen:) phil , Phil [griech. phílos = freundlich; Freund] <Best. in Zus. mit der Bed.>: Freun …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Phil- — Phil : ↑ philo , Philo . * * * phil , Phil : ↑philo , ↑Philo . phi|lo , Phi|lo , (vor Vokalen:) phil , Phil [griech. phílos = freundlich; Freund] <Best. in Zus. mit der Bed.>: Freund, Verehrer (von etw.); Liebhaber, Anhänger; Liebe, Neigun …   Universal-Lexikon

  • phil- — phil(o) ♦ Élément, du gr. philos « ami », ou philein « aimer ». ⇒aussi phile. phil(o) , phile, philie éléments, du gr. philos, ami , ou philein, aimer …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • -phil — [fi:l] <zweiter Wortbestandteil von Adjektiven, deren erster meist fremdsprachlicher Herkunft ist>: drückt aus, dass eine Vorliebe für das im Basiswort Genannte besteht, dass es besonders geschätzt wird /Ggs. phob/: bibliophil… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • phil. — phil. phil. (fork. for philosophiae); dr.phil.; cand.phil …   Dansk ordbog

  • Phil Ek — is an American record producer, engineer and mixer. Ek began his career in Seattle, Washington, in the early 1990s recording live sound in clubs. He then moved into studio recording, recording small projects and demos for local bands. Around this …   Wikipedia

  • Phil — steht für: Brief des Paulus an die Philipper, ein Buch der Bibel Philip, eine Kurzform des Vornamens Phil, ein Murmeltier in Punxsutawney, das in dem Film „Und täglich grüßt das Murmeltier“ mitspielte phil steht für: den griechischer Wortstamm… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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