-phil-

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-.

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. Antonyms: Acidophobia and 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
  • Capnophile: microorganism that thrives in the presence of high concentrations of carbon dioxide
  • 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: preferring 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, necrophiliac: an attraction to the dead
  • Neutrophile: organism that thrives in a neutral pH environment
  • 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
  • Trichophilia: an attraction to hair or fur
  • 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: 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
  • Videophile: person who is concerned with achieving high-quality results in the recording and playback of movies, TV programs, etc.

National or ethnic

Other

Prefix phil-

See also

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